Our lives are in their hands, so when healthcare workers are exposed to Covid-19, everyone’s threatened.
Data from the Western Cape show a markedly improved situation compared with a few months ago, however, and the tide seems to be turning regarding infections and vaccines.
Dr Keith Cloete, who heads the health department in the province, said on Thursday that surveys undertaken just before the Sisonke vaccination programme registered a high number of health workers who weren’t just hesitant, but said they would “refuse” to get the jab.
They made up 20% of all the health workers, but just three weeks later, once the programme started and the shot went from theoretical to a jab in the arm, the numbers shifted rapidly: “When we were just two weeks in, we repeated the survey. By then, 85% said they wanted it and less than 8% still said they’d refuse.”
Those who were hesitant made up the rest, but now it appears even more are on board.
Cloete said no stats have been collated of those still refusing the jab. Because it’s informed consent, there are only records of those who are getting it and no follow-up survey has been done on attitudes.
However, “if we match how many health workers there are in the province and how many are scheduled for the vaccine, it would appear there are only some ‘isolated’ cases of health workers refusing”, he said, adding that this is a worldwide pattern.
“The hesitancy is big before you start, but the moment it runs, hesitancy changes and people want to be first in line.”
This high uptake appears to be bearing fruit: there are now only 12 active cases among health workers in the province, compared with January, when there were more than 1,000.
In March there were 38 cases, so this is a “positive sign” that “the vaccine programme is protecting health workers”, said Cloete.
He confirmed that 60% of all health workers will be covered under Sisonke by the end of April and that to date, more than 53,000 doses have been administered.
Also, 4,585 workers are in training to vaccinate others, while 2,511 have completed training and been accredited.
A further 800 posts are awaiting staff ahead of a possible third wave and the vaccine rollout, said Cloete.
“We will complete the remainder of healthcare workers and then, on May 17, we will kick off with the drive for the general population,” he said.
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