Nowatshini Ndaku from the Western Cape who is 99 years of age, along with her 65-year-old daughter, Thandiswa have both received their Covid-19 vaccinations at the Mbekweni Community Hall in Paarl on Monday as a result of their neighbour’s kindness.
Western Cape Government Health spokesperson Sandra Maritz said: “When community health workers visited homes in the Mbekweni area to support residents with registering for the Covid-19 vaccination, Nowatshini and her daughter were not home. When they returned, their neighbour told them about the visit and made phone calls on their behalf to find out how they can register.”
According to News24, their neighbour registered the mother and daughter via her cell phone, and notified them of their appointment date.
“We were very happy that it was our turn. We had seen on TV how well-known people got vaccinated, and we could not wait to go for our vaccinations. This was long-awaited,” Thandiswa said.
According to Maritz, Nowatshini, who will turn 100 in October this year, is one of the oldest people in the Western Cape to receive the Covid-19 vaccination, after a 103-year-old woman from Delft also received the jab.
“The lockdown has been a challenging time for the family, but they feel safer now that they’ve had the first of the two-dose vaccine. The vaccine will protect them against serious disease if they do get Covid-19. They [now] eagerly wait for their appointment in August to go for their second injection. It is important that people who have received their first dose of the vaccine continue to adhere to safety measures such as wearing their masks, keeping a distance from other people and avoiding gatherings,” Maritz said.
Nowatshini expressed gratitude to her neighbour, Thobeka Njovane while encouraging others to “not be afraid.”
“We are very grateful for Thobeka for her help. We are feeling very happy. Other people should not be afraid. There is no danger and there was no pain with the injection. We must protect ourselves against this virus,” Nowatshini said.
- To register or assist an elderly person in your community with registration for the vaccination, dial *134*832#.
- Alternatively, WhatsApp the word REGISTER to 0600 123 456.
- If you are 60 or older, you can also ask to be registered at your nearest vaccination site.
Picture: Supplied