Cape Town - Lavender Hill centenarian Wilhemina Jansen, “Ousie” to her friends, on Wednesday became the unexpected star of an oversight visit by the health standing committee to the mass Vaccination Centre of Hope at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).
Jansen, who celebrated her 100th birthday in March this year, was being wheeled into the centre by her son Joseph when she caught the attention of some of the committee’s members who stopped to chat to her.
She told them that other than her failing hearing and a bad knee she is healthy and mentally alert and had come to the centre to receive her second jab of the vaccine.
During the visit the committee was informed that the centre currently accommodates 1 800 individuals per day, and this figure can be scaled up to 4 000 per day when necessary.
Committee chairperson Wendy Philander (DA) said: “We have noted that individuals within the priority group of 50 plus age group have dominated facility visits. This is exceptionally encouraging, as it means almost 70% of the 60 plus age group are already registered for their jabs.
“During the next oversight visit of the Standing Committee, we will visit the mass drive-by vaccine site at the Athlone Stadium, a joint effort of the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape government. This site is set to further ramp up the vaccination drive in the province.”
Committee member Rachel Windvogel (ANC) said it was remarkable to see high volumes of people getting vaccinated at the CTICC with a turnaround time of only 20 minutes when entering the building.
Lavender Hill centenarian Wilhemina Jansen, Ousie to her friends, on Wednesday became the unexpected star of an oversight visit by the health standing committee to the mass Vaccination Centre of Hope at the CTICC pic.twitter.com/4R8jNbiSyp
— Mwangi Githahu (@MwangiGithahu) August 5, 2021
She told them that other than her failing hearing and a bad knee she is healthy and mentally alert and had come to the centre to receive her second jab of the vaccine @TheCapeArgus
— Mwangi Githahu (@MwangiGithahu) August 5, 2021
After the CTICC, the committee went to Fair Cape Dairies in Durbanville to observe the working of a mobile vaccination bus that has been set up on the farm there.
Fair Cape Dairies Human resources head Jacques Du Preez said: We have this initiative where we’ve worked with the department of health who made an approach to us and asked us if we could get involved as a vaccination site.
“We’ve got 1 300 employees we’re trying to get done. We have also got farmworkers from the whole surrounding area and over the next five days we hope to cover between 1 200 to 1 500 people in the Durbanville area. That’s our objective.”
Committee member Reagen Allen (DA) said: “I am delighted that the committee could visit a Mobile wellness bus, which caters to farm works and their families by bringing vaccines closer to home for vulnerable communities.
“The mobile wellness bus programme allows for residents in rural communities with easy access to registration and vaccination.”
Meanwhile people are encouraged to make use of the walk-in vaccine facility at the Disa Hall at Tygerberg Hospital.
Walk-ins for registration and vaccination form part of a drive for those in need of their first jab, and will be available until August 10, from 8am to 3pm.
The provincial Health Department said those who have received an SMS for their first vaccination are welcome to visit the facility.
A single shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be administered, with 500 doses available per day for this period.
Provincial Health Department spokesperson Mark van der Heever said: “Our appeal to the public is to take up vaccination as this will give us an opportunity to avoid a fourth wave.”
Meanwhile, the City’s Health Department noted a flagging of new Covid-19 infections and a decrease in burials.
Mayco member for community services and health Zahid Badroodien said: “The metro is seeing about 1 280 new cases a day and, while this figure has slowed, it’s not cause for us to drop our guard. It is disheartening that funeral protocol adherence continues to be problematic, with only a 72% adherence rate at funerals assessed by City Health in the past week. These events could become super-spreaders if we’re not vigilant.”
During the past week there were 547 burials compared to 649 in the previous week.
“Even though this is a notable decrease of 102 burials, at the same time we are seeing a steady increase in the demand for cremations,” said Badroodien.
The busiest cemeteries were the Klip Road, Maitland and Welmoed cemeteries.