President Cyril Ramaphosa, Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize and healthcare workers were the first to receive their COVID-19 vaccine jabs on Wednesday, February 17. The first jabs were administered at the Khayelitsha District Hospital in the Western Cape.
“It gives me great pleasure to announce that the first batch of 80 000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is being prepared for distribution across South Africa with immediate effect,” the President said in a statement on Wednesday morning. “It is expected that most vaccination centres will be ready from today to begin the vaccination programme.”
The event was live streamed, with media and health officials in the room clapping and cheering as the healthcare workers received their jabs.
Next up was President Ramaphosa, who barely flinched as the needle entered his arm. Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize seemed nervous as he sat in a chair, waiting for a nurse to prepare his jab, but relaxed as soon as it was over. The entire process, including the answering of questionnaires and signing of waivers, took five minutes to complete.
The vaccination process can be watched here:
President @CyrilRamaphosa joins healthcare workers as they receive the coronavirus vaccination#VaccinesForSouthAfrica #WeChooseVaccination https://t.co/qDaWPERaJR
— Presidency | South Africa ?? (@PresidencyZA) February 17, 2021
Picture: Cyril Ramaphosa/ Twitter