Covid-19

A man receives his first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 in Mexico City, on 15 February 2021, as Mexico begins vaccinating people over 60 years of age. Photo: AFP/Claudio Cruz

Vaccine latest: Over 105 000 school staffers, including teachers jabbed

The Department of Basic Education plans to vaccinate over 580 000 employees in the sector by the time schools close on 9 July

Covid-19

A man receives his first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 in Mexico City, on 15 February 2021, as Mexico begins vaccinating people over 60 years of age. Photo: AFP/Claudio Cruz

The COVID-19 vaccination rollout for teachers has managed to make some level of progress, with the Department of Basic Education announcing that 105 000 people in the sector have been jabbed in 7 provinces, in the last two days alone.

“On Wednesday when the vaccination programme began the Department of Health recorded 49,776 educators and staff who received the vaccines and on the second day 55,444 got their injections,” the department’s spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said.

The Basic Education Department said, however, that the vaccination figures would continue to increase – particularly from Friday, 25 June 2021, when the Western Cape and Limpopo provinces’ roll-outs get underway.

Minister Angie Motshekga launched the vaccine rollout in Limpopo, at the Pietersburg Hospital in Polokwane, on the same day, alongside Premier Chupu Mathabatha and Education MEC Polly Boshielo.

“KwaZulu-Natal continues to lead with 32.1% of their target population vaccinated. Eastern Cape registered 21%, Free State at 21.9%, Mpumalanga recording 26% and North West with 22% are all doing very well. Northern Cape has recorded 12% while Gauteng is at 11% as of Thursday. These patterns also mirror the trends in the general population. The basic education sector has identified 582,000 educators and staff who are expected to be vaccinated by 8 July 2021”

Elijah Mhlanga, Department of Basic Education spokesperson

Basic Education: More vaccines for education staff

The Department of Basic Education has further announced the arrival of more Johnson and Johnson vaccines into the country and has assured that there will be enough to inoculate everyone in the sector, against COVID-19.

The Department has called on all educators and staff in the sector to follow the schedules in their respective districts to ensure a smooth roll-out of the vaccination programme.

“The leaders of all the 5 teacher unions in the sector got their vaccinations yesterday in Atteridgeville. They were joined by the chief executives of entities that include SACE, ETDP SETA, ELRC, NECT and UMALUSI,” the department said.

The aim is to have the entire education sector vaccinated by 9 July 2021, when schools close. The department has been facing calls to postpone the reopening of schools, but Motshekga has long said they are forging ahead with learning.