According to Jacques du Plessis, managing director of Netcare Hospitals, Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital and Netcare Milpark Hospital continue to vaccinate only eligible healthcare workers who have registered to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations and who have been pre-booked for vaccination today and tomorrow.
“While both Netcare St Augustine’s and Netcare Milpark hospitals have been set up to vaccinate a high number of healthcare workers, there are no additional vaccination slots available and we are therefore unable to vaccinate any walk-ins. We therefore strongly urge individuals without appointments not to come to either of these facilities and endanger themselves by arriving en masse,” he stressed.
“As the Sisonke programme, which is focussed on the vaccination of healthcare workers, comes to a close we are seeing an influx of people arriving to be vaccinated. This has not been helped by the misinformation which is currently being circulated,” added Du Plessis.
| Inside the vaccination station at Netcare St Augustine's Hospital social distancing and the safety of those being vaccinated are strictly adhered to. |
“At Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital, unfortunately, a bottleneck of people queuing outside the facility has resulted, fuelled by these incorrect messages. Inside our premises, at the vaccination facilities, we are maintaining social distancing with markings on the ground and chairs carefully distanced, but areas outside of our hospital grounds are unfortunately beyond our control.
“The South African Police Service has repeatedly told people who are gathering outside the premises and who do not have an appointment to leave, and ordered those queuing to respect social distancing guidelines, but to little avail,” he added.
Du Plessis noted that the vaccination uptake by healthcare workers is commendable. “There is no shortage of healthcare workers wishing to be vaccinated at this time, and we are working efficiently and carefully, doing our utmost to ensure the safety of everyone.
“However, the challenge we are facing is that many people are arriving to be vaccinated without vouchers. To ensure minimum delay we would like to remind everyone to bring along all the necessary paperwork including proof of employment and identity document or passport.”
He cautioned that the verification and registration process can be time consuming, particularly with so many individuals arriving without having vouchers. “It is therefore of vital importance that the process is properly followed. Only those who arrive with the correct documentation will be able to receive a vaccine, as has always been the case.
“We are pleased that we are able to assist the thousands of healthcare workers coming through our vaccination site at this time, however it is essential that those who arrive are eligible, have registered and have the correct vouchers with them in order to receive their vaccines,” concluded Du Plessis.
Ends
Issued by: MNA on behalf of Netcare Hospital Division
Contact: Martina Nicholson, Meggan Saville, Estene Lotriet-Vorster or Clementine Forsthofer
Telephone: (011) 469 3016
Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]