DURBAN - KWAZULU-NATAL MEC for Health Nomagugu Simelane was vaccinated against Covid-19 at the Vryheid Hospital this afternoon. She cleared the air over why she opted to take the vaccine now and not when the first batch of vaccines was delivered to the province last month.
"KZN received 10 800 batches in the first round and 15 000 in the second, of which 10 000 were given to the public sector while 5 000 went to the private sector. Management and I made a decision that health-care workers treating Covid patients be given the vaccine and we would get vaccinated later. We have vaccinated more than 30 000 health-care workers in KZN. As a result, we decided we would now go to the different facilities and get vaccinated. I wanted to get vaccinated with the staff in Zululand," she said.
The MEC that KZN is set to get more doses of vaccines “in due course”
She said a decision was taken to roll out the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in areas further away from towns as it was only a single dose, while the Pfizer vaccine, which is expected to arrive in the country soon, is given in two doses.
KZN has recorded 150 new cases and Simelane warned that despite the low numbers, communities should continue to adhere to Covid safety protocol. She added that people should wear masks when out and at home.
She said this was to protect those at home with underlying illnesses and the elderly.
IOL