Cape Town - Healthcare workers who had contracted Covid-19 and survived were among healthcare workers lining up to be vaccinated at the Mitchell’s Plain District Hospital.
The facility commenced with vaccinating healthcare workers in the Klipfontein and Mitchell’s Plain areas, including workers at city clinics and community healthcare workers, on Tuesday.
The vaccinations form part of the Sisonke implementation study, administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Physiotherapy assistant at Lentegeur Hospital, Maureen Williams, contracted Covid-19 in December.
“Because I was a Covid-19 patient, I feel it is right to have the injection. I realised what it did to my family, especially my husband and I almost lost my mother. If this can prevent me from having it again, then I strongly believe I need to have this injection.”
Wendy Botha-Mapolisa, a nursing assistant at Mitchell’s Plain District Hospital, contracted the virus in September and has been waiting for the vaccine.
“I have been so paranoid for my kids, so at least this precaution will protect us.”
Professional nurse and vaccinator Muhammad Yazeed Ebrahim said he was grateful to to play a part and had already vaccinated a few of his colleagues.
“I'm just glad I’m able to help. A lot of people have really been looking for some sort of defence against this Covid-19 virus, so I am happy to be a part of it, helping my colleagues out.”
Health Department spokesperson for the Klipfontein/Mitchell’s Plain substructure, Monique Johnstone, said the outpatients department, previously the temporary emergency centre, was repurposed as a vaccination site. She said the facility received 720 doses of the vaccine for this week.
Support Services deputy director Nomtha Bell-Mandla said adverse side effects have been reported, including fever, flu and fatigue, but this soon passed. She said the uptake amongst healthcare workers was quite high.
Cape Argus