05 Aug 2021

Tutume Sub-district Health Management Team (DHMT) has raised a concern over lack of adherence to COVID-19 health protocols by residents. 

DHMT acting head Ms Debzi Mfolwe told BOPA yesterday that people were still hosting wedding celebrations, preparing food at funerals and wedding celebrations and gathering in large groups. 

Ms Mfolwe noted that although weddings had not been suspended, people had been advised not to prepare food but they still do so. 

Furthermore, she pointed out that people continued to gather in large numbers at funerals. 

Ms Mfolwe said however, that health officials would continue to sensitise the community about the pandemic and the need to observe safety and prevention protocols. 

She further noted that the sub-district had seen an increase in the number of deaths, even as numbers continued to rise. She said they recorded 58 new cases on August 3 alone. 

In addition, she highlighted that ccumulative cases stood at 3 566 while active cases had grown from 233 to 285 by Wednesday this week. 

This, she said, called for behavioural change. As for the vaccination progress, she noted that they had started administering Sinovac second dose for 45 to 54 year-olds. 

For the first dose, she explained that the sub-district received 7 840 doses and had so far managed to administer 7 100 from the batch, and were still vaccinating people. 

For the second dose, she said they received 7 840 doses on Tuesday and there was a huge turn up of the age cohort 45-54 at Tutume main kgotla and Sebina. 

She said too many people came from other districts and vaccinating them would mean there would be a shortage as the vaccine is given for the specific number that had already received the first dose in a given place. 

As a result they found it necessary to suspend the vaccination. 

She also noted that they had shifted their focus from main vaccination centres to small villages to ensure that people from places such as Sepako and Manxotae among others were not left out. Ends