As the Sisonke Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 trial came to end, there were concerns that people who should not be getting the jab were exploiting loopholes to get vaccinated.
The definition of health-care worker was expanded and this meant that more people were eligible for the vaccine trial.
A technology content producer and blogger, known only as “Cape Town Guy” tweeted that he was alerted via a WhatsApp message that vaccines would expire and then rushed to the Mitchells Plain District Hospital, where he was vaccinated.
He tweeted: “I got the vaccine (smiley face). The doses were going to expire and I was able to register for it. Arm is a bit sore but overall I feel fine,” along with a short video clip of the nurse doing the injection into his upper arm.
People were outraged that someone was able to exploit the system and get vaccinated when there are said to be strict protocols in place.
Western Cape Department of Health spokesperson Mark van der Heever said: “The Western Cape Department of Health would like to reiterate that no vaccines are being given away. The current Phase 1 of the vaccination programme is administered to health-care workers only under the Sisonke Implementation study which concludes on the 15 May.”
He added that “the vaccination process is fair and equitable, and we will not tolerate the abuse of this process which is geared to ensuring we protect the most vulnerable and at-risk members of community”.
On Wednesday, concerns were raised about the phenomenon of “vaccine influencers” these being people with social media influence and clout who have been offered the vaccine as part of a promotional campaign to encourage people to register and get vaccinated.
Actress and poet Lebo Mashile got her Covid-19 vaccine on Wednesday at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg.
She tweeted a series of explanations as to how she was offered the jab: “For those asking how I qualified: I have been working with @Afri_Alliance on how to use social media to motivate people to get vaccinated. African Alliance has been working tirelessly for the past year to ensure that marginalized people in SA get access to vaccines.
This campaign has been criticised amid the slow progress the SA health authorities have made to procure, distribute and administer vaccines.