CAPE TOWN - Almost half of all the elderly citizens the government plans to vaccinate before the end of June have registered.
SA launched it’s phase 2 Covid-19 vaccination programme on May 17. It prioritises South Africans who are older than 60 years.
At the time of the launch, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said the aim was to inoculate five million elderly citizens by the end of June.
"This is provided that the supply of vaccines flows as anticipated. By the end of June, we expect to have received 4.5 million doses of Pfizer and two million doses from Johnson & Johnson," said Mkhize.
According to the department of health, as of June 2, 242 753 elderly people had registered on the Electronic Vaccination Data System. About half a million of them are in Gauteng, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with just over 400 000 and the Eastern Cape with 345 036.
The Northern Cape has had the lowest registration – less than 30 000.
About 6 026 vaccines have been administered in the province since the phase 2 rollout was introduced.
Despite the Western Cape having administered roughly 13.8% of all jabs recorded in South Africa, provincial data showed that the Central Karoo District Municipality had the lowest proportion of residents, over 60, who have registered for their Covid-19 vaccine, when compared to other districts in the province.
It has just 22.15% registered, when compared to the provincial average of 43.80%.
Premier Alan Winde said he had dispatched his team to the Central Karoo to help assist the elderly to register.
“This is concerning to me, because no person should be left behind. Every life matters, no matter what you earn, or where you live. I want to encourage residents in the Central Karoo to please help those who are 60 years and older to register for their vaccine. It will only take up six minutes of your time, but it could potentially save someone’s life,” he said.
As of Thursday more than 1.1 million vaccines have been administered in the country.