Western Cape Government and City of Cape Town encourage vaccine uptake on VOOMA | Western Cape Government

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Western Cape Government and City of Cape Town encourage vaccine uptake on VOOMA

2 October 2021

“Save Your Summer: If you want to be fully vaccinated by the start of the Festive Season, you need to get your first dose by latest 20 October”

 

Over the Vooma Weekend, the Western Cape Government and City of Cape Town are encouraging people to get vaccinated at any one of our over 300 public and private vaccine sites available in the Metro and rural communities. This drive is aimed at giving extra “Vooma” for the vaccination drive, to ensure a safe Summer season. Vaccinations are quick and easy, will likely take no longer than 30 minutes.

 

To mark this vaccination drive, the Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde, the Mayor of Cape Town, Alderman Dan Plato, and the Provincial Minister of Health, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo, visited one of the vaccine drive’s pop-up vaccine sites at Watergate Mall in Mitchells Plain.

 

This vaccine drive initiative falls under the VOOMA weekend whereby leaders across the country have been called on to intensify their support for the COVID-19 vaccine and encourage uptake.

 

The Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde, said: “The Western Cape is currently the leading province in terms of single doses of vaccines administered. We aim to fully vaccinate 70% of those over 50 years old by December and 70% of the eligible population with at least one dose. This weekend alone, we aim to administer 80 000 vaccines.”

 

Premier Winde continued: “We set December as our target because we want to ensure that we all have a summer that we can look forward to. The pandemic has taken so much from us all, and we must begin to move forward so that we can save lives and jobs.”

 

It is very important that residents who have decided to get vaccinated do not delay their first vaccination for much longer. If you want to be fully vaccinated by 1 December, the start of our festive season, you will need to:

 

  • Receive your first dose of Pfizer by no later than 20 October 2021.
  • Receive your second dose 42 days after. This means that you will have received your second dose by 1 December 2021 latest.

 

It takes approximately two weeks from full vaccination (after your second jab) for you to develop maximum immune protection. This means if you get your second jab on 1 December, you will have the best possible protection from around 14 December – just around the time that many people have planned to start their festive season plans. 

 

Mayor Plato said: “I strongly encourage those who aren’t yet vaccinated but who would like to be, to make use of the VOOMA weekend where many sites will be open to the public. I do understand that some people are however hesitant to get the vaccine and encourage those of you who need more information to speak with a trusted healthcare practitioner about your concerns and talk to a friend or relative and ask them about their vaccine experience.”

 

Minister Mbombo concluded: “We all want to enjoy the festive season which is why I have also launched the jabs b4jol campaign to encourage especially young people to get vaccinated. Vaccines are safe and very effective. We are seeing a lot fewer hospitalisations and deaths in people who get vaccinated. While some people have minor reactions after getting vaccinated like headaches or fever, these are often easily managed at home, and the benefit of getting vaccinated is much greater than being unvaccinated and getting COVID-19. Please use any one of our vaccine sites, particularly over the VOOMA weekend. Many who are 18 years and older, who received their jabs from 20 August, are now eligible for their second shot. Please do not hesitate, fully vaccinate.”

 

Media Enquiries: 

 

The press kit is available here:  Vooma weekend

 

Cayla Ann Tomas Murray

Spokesperson to the Premier

Western Cape Government

Cel: 064 121 7959 / Tel: 021 483 5004

Email address: cayla.murray@westerncape.gov.za

 

Lyndon Khan

Mayoral Media Officer

City of Cape Town

Cel: 076 186 8719 / Tel: 021 417 0693

Email address: Lyndon.Khan@capetown.gov.za

 

Nomawethu Sbukwana

Spokesperson to Minister Nomafrench Mbombo

Provincial Department of Health

Cel: 083 893 5200/ Tel: 021 483 2627

Email address: nomawethu.sbukwana@westerncape.gov.za