Neighbour helps 99-year-old and her daughter to receive their vaccinations

The kindness of a neighbour led to an a 99-year-old mom and daughter (65) getting the first dose of the potentially life-saving COVID-19 vaccination side by side.

When Community Health Workers visited homes in the Mbekweni area to support residents with registering for the COVID-19 vaccination, Nowatshini Ndaku and her daughter were not home. When they returned, their neighbour told them about the visit and made phone calls on their behalf to find out how they can register. She registered them with her phone and notified them when it was time for their appointment.

“Our appointment was on a Friday, but it was raining, so we couldn’t go,” says Thandiswa. She and her elderly mother, who will be turning 100 in October, left for Mbekweni Community Hall the following Monday.

“We were very happy that it was our turn. We had seen on TV how well-known people got vaccinated and we could not wait to go for our vaccinations. This was long-awaited.”

Getting vaccinated as a mom and daughter was a special moment. Both felt fine afterwards and they felt very important as healthcare staff celebrated with them by taking pictures.

Nowatshini moved to Mbekweni in 2017 to be with her daughter. The lockdown has been a challenging time for the family, but they feel safer now that they’ve had the first of the two-dose vaccine. The vaccine will protect them against serious disease if they do get COVID-19. They eagerly wait for their appointment in August to go for their second injection. It is important that people who have received their first dose of the vaccine, continue to adhere to safety measures such as wearing their masks, keeping a distance from other people, and avoiding gatherings.

Without the assistance of their neighbour, Thobeka Njovane, vaccination may not yet have turned into a reality for this mother-daughter-duo. Both are generally in good health and Nowatshini still enjoys going out for a walk. “We are very grateful for Thobeka for her help! We are feeling very happy. Other people should not be afraid. There is no danger and there was no pain with the injection. We must protect ourselves against this virus.”

You too can help an elder in your community to register. Use your phone and dial *134*832* or WhatsApp the word REGISTER to 0600 123 456. If you are older than 60 years, you can also ask to be registered at your nearest vaccination site.