GAUTENG HEALTH SAYS NO ONE WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID JAB WILL BE TURNED AWAY

Government aims to increase its pace to get as many as 100,000 people jabbed per day while also planning to increase its capacity.

An education department employee gets a COVID-19 vaccine shot at the Rabasotho community hall in Tembisa on 23 June 2021. Picture: Xanderleigh Dookey Makhaza/Eyewitness News

Mia Lindeque

JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng government on Tuesday said it was pleased that eligible people were enthusiastic to get their COVID-19 jab without having an appointment and said no one would be turned away.

Government is trying to increase its pace to get as many as 100,000 people jabbed per day but with that it’s also planning to increase its capacity.

Many sites are now open over weekends while a number of drive-through facilities have been set up.

Some are opting for walk-ins and the Gauteng Health Department's Mogeru Morewane said there was enough staff to deal with the influx of unexpected people currently at sites.

“We don’t want, because you find that the person who comes to the vaccination site, you’ll find that he or she has used his or her last cents. If we turn them away, then we have missed the opportunity to have one person vaccinated.”

National government wants to see 35 million people immunised by the end of the year.

Gauteng Premier David Makhura said they were increasing their capacity through partnership with the private sector.

“They are availing a lot of support material including technology companies that are supporting us while other companies are providing big venues or what we call mass vaccination venues.”