The Western Cape Government has started the roll-out of vaccines to those in the basic education sector at the Pinelands Metro Emergency Medical Service site on Wednesday, June 23. The vaccination of thousands of teachers and education-related staff members comes as the third wave of COVID-19 infections rapidly increases around the country.
Provincial Minister of Education, Debbie Schäfer indicated that every basic education sector staff member is eligible to take this opportunity to contribute to getting schools back to some manner of normality.
According to Schäfer, it is crucial that they avoid any further disruptions to the school calendar, as learners have already suffered serious learning losses from the past year. “We have lost so many to this pandemic. Let us do all we can to keep our staff – and our schools –safe,” Schäfer said.
Meanwhile, a total of 50 staff members received their Johnson & Johnson jabs on Wednesday, after the province received over 50,000 doses of this specific brand for education staff.
Vaccines for those in the education sector are also being administered from the Tygerberg Hospital site. In addition, there are two major sites that are dedicated to the sector in the Cape Town metro and 27 others in the rural areas, IOL reports.
Eugenia Paulo-Goagoses from Masiphathisane Primary on the West Coast also became the first educator in the province to get vaccinated.
Eugenia Paulo Goagoses from Masiphatisane Primary is the first educator in the province to get vaccinated! #Letsdothis pic.twitter.com/BNTHI5NyL5
— WCEDNews (@WCEDnews) June 23, 2021
The Western Cape reported 13 268 active COVID-19 infections in a 24-hour cycle, with a total number of 312 201 COVID-19 cases and 286 785 recoveries as of June 23. A total of 46 additional deaths have also been recorded since the last provincial COVID-19 update on Tuesday, June 22. The province’s death toll now stands at 12 148.
Picture: Supplied