The Department of Health officially launched the Electronic Vaccine Data System Self- Registration (EVDS) Portal on Wednesday.
The self-registering portal is available to health workers to register, as they would be the first to get vaccinated in phase 1.
Followed by essential workers, persons in congregate settings, persons over 60 years, and persons over 18 years with co-morbidities on phase 2. Phase 3 will focus on persons older than 18 years, targeting 22 500 000 of the population.
Speaking at the launch of the portal, Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize said the portal is user friendly and would only take less than one megabyte and approximately 2 minutes to complete the registration process.
The EVDS system makes it quick and easy to get your #COVID19 vaccine. As per Phase One of the rollout plan, all healthcare workers should register on the system.
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) February 3, 2021
Simply click on the link and follow the promptshttps://t.co/cBpEK9D9hJ
Mkhize also invited all health workers - clinical and non-clinical, public and private, personal and non-personal, traditional healers - to join more than 34000 health workers who have already registered onto the system.
"Anyone who touches a patient should register,” said the minister.
“Any healthcare worker who cannot register can seek assistance from the occupational health and safety representative in their municipality. In the event that a healthcare worker has not self-registered, you will not be denied the vaccination.
“You will be registered at the vaccination site, it might just take a few minutes longer.
“We would, however, encourage all healthcare workers to register before the inoculation call because this will help us to know how to refine our current allocations and get enough vaccines to the right vaccine centres at the right time.” said Mkize.
All healthcare workers should register on the EVDS.#EVDSLaunch pic.twitter.com/58Zlp7IzzR
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) February 3, 2021
Do you need to register if you have health insurance or medical aid?
Regardless of whether someone has health insurance or not, people who would like to get vaccinated must use the EVDS to receive an appointment to be inoculated.
Those with medical aids will be able to register via their medical aid website, said the Department of Health.
Registration details include general information as well as details of employment and primary location.
All health workers- clinical and non clinical, public and private, persal and non persal- are invited to join more than 34000 health workers who have already registered onto the system.
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) February 3, 2021
#EVDSLaunch
Acting Chief Operating Officer (COO), Milani Wolmarans said anyone can register with either your ID or passport number.
The site will also collect general personal details, name, surname and the system will automatically calculate your date of birth.
Wolmarans added that people who chose to register should not be worried about their personal details; “your data will be protected when you register for the vaccine.”
However, Wolmarans stressed the importance of correct personal details. “Your cellphone number is an important one because it is used to communicate with the healthcare worker.
“This is the only personal information communicated through the portal. If you have registered and haven't received a confirmation message, please register again.”
The platform’s terms and conditions note that “enrolment is not a guarantee of vaccination”.
You can access the registration platform at https://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za.