Johannesburg - Deputy President David Mabuza will on Wednesday launch the government’s mass vaccination campaign “Return to play - it’s in your hands” in Johannesburg.
This comes as the country continues to make efforts to vaccinate millions of South Africans before the end of the year, with the Gauteng province targeting at least 10 million vaccinations by December.
Dignitaries including Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa, members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Covid-19 Vaccines, Health Minister Joe Phaahla, Gauteng Premier David Makhura and Gauteng Arts MEC Mbali Hlophe, will be at the launch of the campaign at the FNB Stadium in Nasrec, Johannesburg.
Mickey Modisane, the spokesperson for the Department of Arts and Culture, said the decision to vaccinate the under-35 group earlier was taken to ramp up the government’s mass of programme.
“The Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture will therefore launch a vaccination campaign using its unique position of galvanising support and voice to the country’s sporting and creative industries.
“The government is therefore inviting members of the media and selected creative artists inclusive of cultural, creative icons, legends, and practitioners as trusted voices within society to this government event,” he said.
Meanwhile, in an effort of the Gauteng province’s bid to reach its 10 million vaccination target by December, the mobile vaccination team will descend to Sedibeng.
The vaccination team, said the Gauteng Health Department, would head to the Vaal University of Technology’s (VUT) Vanderbijlpark campus between September 9 and 11 September 2021 in a bid to encourage people to get vaccinated.
“The Gauteng provincial government took a decision to take the vaccination roll-out programme to the Sedibeng District, after it noted that the region was not performing well.
“And as part of improving the vaccination roll-out, various pop-up sites will be activated in the district in the coming weeks,” the provincial government said in a statement on Tuesday.
Members of the public and the university community would all be eligible for the vaccinations.
“The social mobilisation team will register and vaccinate all persons who are 18 years and above. All you need to do is to bring your proof of identity with you. The mobile pop-up site will provide both walk-in and drive-through vaccination.
“The pop-up site will be based at VUT’s Isak Steyl Stadium, Playfair Boulevard, CE6, Vanderbijlpark, and will operate between 9am to 3pm for all the three days.
“All persons 18 years and older are encouraged to visit the pop-up vaccination site to receive the jab. Covid-19 vaccines protect against severe illness, hospitalisation and death in the event one contracts the coronavirus.
“When more people get vaccinated, the quicker the country can return to a ’normal life’. We have seen a semblance of normality in countries where mass population has been vaccinated,” said the provincial government.
The province last week warned members of the public that the threat of a fourth wave was likely to hit the province in November.
IOL