The vaccination rollout has been extended to include teachers in the Western Cape, and they are expected to get their single dose from as soon as 25 June 2021.
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) confirmed that National Government secured additional doses of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) single dose COVID-19 vaccine for the education sector. This includes independent schools in the province.
“These doses have now been approved and are earmarked for rollout on 25 June 2021 in the Western Cape. The announcement has brought great joy to the education sector as we celebrate the news that the rollout has been expanded to include all educators and non-teaching staff at public and independent schools, as well as all district and Head Office staff at the WCED,” the Western Cape Government said.
The plan to roll out the vaccine programme commences on Friday and they will make use of 29 vaccination sites around the province to administer approximately 55 200 vaccines.
On Monday, June 21the Head of Department, Brent Walters, wrote to schools updating them on the planned rollout.
“Given that public schools have already registered the staff members who have consented to the vaccine, the majority of the work to prepare for this rollout has been concluded. However, teachers and staff that have not yet registered must contact their principal to get their details and consent submitted,” they said.
The following persons do not qualify to be vaccinated:
· any person who has contracted COVID-19 in the past 30 days;
· any person who has been vaccinated using another vaccine (Pfizer or J&J, under Sisonke); or
· any person who has received a flu vaccine in the past 14 days.
Any official who is not vaccinated by 08 July 2021 will become part of the normal sequence of vaccinations (age focused) as announced by the National Department of Health. District offices will begin contacting schools this week, informing them of their school’s vaccination schedule.
