Western Cape golden oldies share their Covid-19 jab experiences

18 May 2021 - 15:34 By alex patrick
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Retired nurse Mara Majiedt was vaccinated in Brackenfell wearing a mask given to her by the husband of a friend who passed away due to Covid-19.
Retired nurse Mara Majiedt was vaccinated in Brackenfell wearing a mask given to her by the husband of a friend who passed away due to Covid-19.
Image: Western Cape government

Retired nurse Mara Majiedt, 61, was the first eligible non-health worker in the Western Cape to be vaccinated against Covid-19 on Monday.

The Western Cape government launched phase 2 of its vaccination plan with a focus on people over 60 and any remaining health workers.

On Monday 939 people were vaccinated when teams went to old age homes and called health workers to vaccination sites.

The provincial government said from next week more vaccination sites would be announced online, further enhancing capacity to vaccinate more people.

Majiedt, who worked at Tygerberg Hospital for more than 40 years before her retirement in 2018, received her vaccination together with her husband at the Brackenfell vaccination centre.

“I got the shot to protect myself, my husband, my children, my grandchild, my immediate family and my extended family,” she said.

“We haven’t been hugging each other. Nothing is normal.

“I want to do my bit to protect the community. If we are all vaccinated and we adhere to protocols, the spread of the disease can be in our hands. There is much we can do, but we can do a bit more if we get vaccinated.

“I am wearing a mask handed to me from my friend’s husband. My friend was one of the first healthcare workers who passed away due to Covid-19 and while she’s not physically here today, I decided to bring her along and to wear the mask.”

Lillian Slamat, 90, known fondly as “Tannie Lilly”, was one of the oldest residents in Elsies River to receive her vaccine. 

On Monday she said she wasnt nervous before getting the injection at the Karl Bremer Hospital vaccination centre.

“I am taking the vaccine today to protect myself. I would encourage others to take the injection as well. It’s something good and will help you. I was not nervous, but I was up at 3am, which is my normal time to wake up. You could say I was excited.”

Belhar resident Jean Arnold, 69, was the second to receive her vaccination at the Karl Bremer centre.

“You go for a flu injection, so why can’t you take the Covid-19 vaccine? The vaccine is here to protect us. I didn’t sleep too much. I was excited.”

Spacia Plaaitjies, 67, from Elsies River said getting the vaccination was a personal choice.

“First and foremost, we have a choice. I made a choice that I wanted to take it because I didn’t want to be as sick. Friends were infected, and they were very, very sick. One guy said he never wants to be that sick again. For your own sake, you have to look after yourself,” she said.

Ernest Adonis, 78, from Bellville said the vaccine was good for him.

“I think the vaccine will be good for our people. It’s like the flu vaccine. I advise every elderly person to get vaccinated.”

The Western Cape health department encouraged all people older than 60 to register on the electronic vaccination data system by dialling *134*832#, sending the word “REGISTER” to 0600-123-456 on WhatsApp or heading to the website

TimesLIVE


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now