Basic education sector extends vaccination rollout by a week

09 July 2021 - 20:45 By paul ash
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Teachers and support staff queuing to be screened before receiving their jabs at the Rabasotho community centre in Thembisa.
Teachers and support staff queuing to be screened before receiving their jabs at the Rabasotho community centre in Thembisa.
Image: Naledi Shange

The vaccine rollout in SA's basic education sector has been extended to Wednesday July 14, the department said on Friday.

Department spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said the rollout had been extended after extra vaccine doses became available.

“The sector has seen strong demand for the vaccine in recent days,” he said.

“Provinces reported that more and more people were coming forward seeking to be vaccinated.”

Some 200,000 more people had been added to the list of those who would get vaccinated, he added.

Education minister Angie Motshekga had earlier asked the health department for an extension after it emerged that the education department would miss its aim of getting the jab to 600,000 teachers.

Some 437,386 teachers and staff have been vaccinated since the start of the rollout, short of the initial target of 582,564.

The department expected the total to rise as Limpopo forged ahead with a plan to vaccinate teachers on Friday and Saturday.

“A huge turnout was reported today in Limpopo where educators and staff arrived to receive their single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine,” Mhlanga said.

TimesLIVE


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