Western Cape leaders are looking to take proactive steps in making sure the anticipated COVID-19 fourth wave is not as severe as the third.
Health officials have cautioned that the fourth surge will hit country sometime between December 2021 and January 2022.
With that in mind, the provincial health and transport departments along with the Golden Arrow Bus Service have launched a pop-up vaccination site at the Arrowgate bus depot in Montana, on Monday.
It will allow many of the bus drivers and other staff members as well as commuters who haven’t yet got the jab, to get vaccinated.
Transport MEC, Daylin Mitchell, says it’s vital that as the economy opens up, people are vaccinated.
“It is very important that we target public transport operators as they work around the clock taking commuters to economic opportunities as we are rebuilding our economy. Public transport operators are working in areas of high transit as they transport people to and from different destinations and their staff often find it difficult to visit vaccine sites to get jabbed”.
Health MEC, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo, says there’s a focus on getting public transport operators vaccinated. “Vaccination of the bus drivers is of great significance due to the nature of their job. They interact with people all the time, it is important that they are vaccinated to protect themselves and the customers. I can imagine that it is difficult for them to get vaccinated due to their working hours, and the proximity of the vaccination site is also a challenge. This means they miss out on getting vaccinated and are left behind.”
Pictures : WCHD
