31 Mar 2021

The COVID-19 vaccine rollout is gaining momentum with several districts having kick started the vaccination programme this week following the official launch last Friday.

According to Chief Medical Officer for Mmadinare cluster, Dr Nhlanhla Rabanyana the COVID-19 vaccination roll out is going well in Mmadinare.

Dr Rabanyana said in an interview that since the vaccination roll out started on Monday, Mmadinare District Health Management Team had vaccinated 110 elders aged 55 years and above.

He said of the 110 people vaccinated, 50 were vaccinated on Monday whilst 60 elders were vaccinated on Tuesday.

Dr Rabanyana said the target was to vaccinate a total of 700 people in the first phase of the vaccination exercise, urging all those who were eligible to come forth and get the jab.

He expressed satisfaction with the turn up so far, adding ‘there is good response as people are eager to vaccinate.’

He urged all those who had vaccinated to continue adhering to COVID-19 protocols.

He said the COVID-19 was still a threat in society as cases continued to rise in Mmadinare and the entire Greater Selebi Phikwe region.

He further explained that the vaccine was not a cure to COVID-19 rather it was meant to lessen transmission, morbidity and mortality related to the virus.

Meanwhile Dr Rabanyana warned the community not to spread of the virus in the village, particularly in schools.

He explained that Mmadinare Senior secondary school was the most affected with 453 cumulative cases of which 162 were still active  adding that the school had its own isolation centre within the school where the positive cases were managed.

He said other schools which were affected at the beginning of the term had no new cases, urging them to follow COVID-19 protocols without fail.

Meanwhile Greater Selebi Phikwe zone which consists of Selebi Phikwe, Bobonong and Mmadinare clustered registered a total of 3909 positive cases of which 706 were still active.

Selebi Phikwe cluster had the highest number of active cases with  477 cases whilst Bobonong and Mmadinare registered 92 and 137 cases respectively.

The region also registered 3171 recoveries and 28 COVID-19 related deaths. ENDS