Closure of Athlone Stadium walk-through 15 December 2021

The Western Cape Government’s Athlone Vaccination Centre of Hope situated at Athlone Stadium will be closing its 40 vaccination booths at the walk-through section on Wednesday 15 December 2021. The drive-through vaccination section at the Athlone Stadium will remain open until 21 January 2022 from Monday to Friday from 08:30 – 16:00, whereafter it will also close, as per contractual agreement with the City of Cape Town. Provision will be made for walk-through clients at the drive-through area until full closure next year.

Since the mass vaccination site’s official opening on 17 August 2021, a total of 59 856 people were vaccinated at both the walk-through and drive-through areas as of 9 December 2021 with the walk-through section only vaccinating 29 776 people age 12 years and older to date.

“The drive-through” is the first of its kind and magnitude in the Western Cape, especially on the Cape Flats which was implemented to accommodate and vaccinate many communities within proximity at the historical Athlone Stadium,” said Fatima Peters, site manager at the Athlone Vaccination Centre of Hope.

The Department opened the facility to vaccinate as many people who live and travel within close proximity of the site as it created easy access to vaccines along one of the busiest travel routes in the Cape Metro. People from other areas in the metro traveled to access the drive-through which generated more popularity compared to the walk-through section of the site, due to the safety of not having to leave their cars while being vaccinated.

In line with the Department’s agile and adaptability by taking vaccines closer to communities, the site is being closed down in stages as vaccines are being made available to all communities through pop-up vaccination sites in residential areas and to street-based clients, home vaccinations to bedridden clients, taking the vaccine to work environments, vaccinating at SASSA pay points, and shopping malls and centers. The Vaxi Taxi services are the latest addition to the Department’s mobile drives which are being utilised in many other residential areas in the metro. There are still many fixed vaccination sites in communities and social mobilising teams encouraging and educating people in residential areas to get vaccinated.

The drive-through has accommodated cyclists, a horse and cart, trucks filled with construction workers, taxis, and mini-buses with multiple family bubbles, and will continue to be of service to our communities until 21 January 2022.

We encourage people to come for their vaccinations at any of our vaccination sites especially the more vulnerable and elderly and those with comorbidities as the vaccine will protect you from becoming severely ill, ending up in the hospital, and possible death.

Don’t hesitate, vaccinate. Everyone aged 12 years and older is welcome at the Drive-through until its closure in January 2022 including those who are eligible for booster doses.