Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla. Picture: Henk Kruger/African News Agency (ANA)
Cape Town - Health Minister Joe Phaahla says the country was close to reaching the target of vaccinating 70% of people by the end of the year, with almost half of the estimated people getting the jab.
Phaahla said on Friday, during the launch of the digital vaccination certificate, that the only way to reduce cases of Covid-19 was to vaccinate.
He said the figures show that there has been a decrease in Covid-19 cases in the last few weeks.
Phaahla said the death rate has dropped by 51%, the infection rate dropped by 33%, and the positivity rate has declined from 5% to 3%.
The country has passed the third wave, said Phaahla.
“It is a deep sense of relief that we have exited the long-drawn third wave. This third wave lasted longer than the previous waves,” said Phaahla, adding that it lasted more than 110 days.
Phaahla said they have now vaccinated 33.4% of the people, and they want to ramp up the vaccination programme to reach the target of 70% by the end of the year.
He said this was possible because, with the launch of the Vooma campaign last week, there has been an increase in the number of people getting jabs.
He said more than 200 000 doses were administered a day since the launch of the Vooma campaign.
Phaahla said, in total, 19 million doses have been administered, and 13 million individuals have received the jabs.
This is 33.4% of the adult population, said Phaahla, adding, “this brings us close to half of 70%.”
“More encouraging is that 70% of the vulnerable groups are within reach,” said Phaahla in reference to those who were 50 years and older.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
Political Bureau