15 Apr 2021

 Kgatleng DHMT Public Health Specialist, Dr Oratile Nfokeng-Selei says the COVID-19 vaccination drive in the district, which ended last week Friday, ran smoothly.

Speaking in an interview, Dr Nfokeng-Selei said the district had received 2 470 doses of COVID-19 vaccine and the drive lasted for two weeks.

She elaborated that the projected population for over the age of 55 in the Kgatleng District was 11 096 and they had decided to use four facilities being Mochudi I, II, Bokaa and Oodi clinics.

“We had one mobile site, which was meant to reach out to the community home-based care and for the elderly, who were unable to come to the facilities,” she said, adding that with the mobile site, they managed to vaccinate 48 people.

She stated that the response was satisfactory, with Mochudi Clinic I registering 160 people on April 1.

Dr Nfokeng-Selei reiterated that before receiving the vaccine, a person was informed of the possible adverse side effects that included localised swelling or pain, mild headache and body pains and the minimal things that they can do at home to treat the symptoms.

She, however, said the symptoms were short-lived and could last from three days to a week at most and if the they continue for more than a week, people should go back to the clinic. She further added that they had recorded no cases of severe side effects that persisted for more than a week.

With regards to the public outcry of nurses not using gloves during vaccination, Dr Nfokeng-Selei said it was not per protocol to wear gloves, saying the use of gloves was only necessary if the patient had an open wound.

She noted that besides shortage of nurses, they did not encounter any challenges. Ends