Vooma Vaccination Weekend: 8 – 10 April
The Department of Health will this weekend (from Friday 8 to Sunday 10 April 2022), bring COVID-19 vaccination services to vulnerable and hard to reach populations, amongst others, as part of efforts to encourage people to protect themselves through vaccination.
This campaign comes ahead of the 2022 Easter weekend, and a series of other long weekends that are coming up in the country.
With the changes in South Africa’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic which have helped to save lives and livelihoods since the outbreak of the pandemic, vaccination remains the most effective way to protect ourselves from severe illness and death should we be infected with the virus.
A key feature of this Vooma Vaccination Weekend will include the vaccination of vulnerable people, including undocumented citizens and individuals who have lost their identity documents and cannot retrieve them because they don’t know their identity number.
Our message as a country has always been that no one will be left behind because no one is safe unless we are all safe. The COVID-19 vaccine is the most effective way of ensuring this is achieved.
We are calling on all unvaccinated and partly vaccinated people, include children aged 12 years and older use this opportunity. While we will roll out public sites in all provinces, we are also prioritizing areas with vulnerable persons as per the StatsSA's COVID Vulnerability index. We will be vaccinating all citizens in the country even if they do not have any form of identity document. All you have to do is to go to your nearest vaccination site and receive this life-saving treatment.
Our #KeReady campaign is particularly targeting young adults who remain the least vaccinated cohort in the country. Thus, ahead of the many long weekends, public and religious holidays in the country, it is important that we are vaccinated as we spend time friends and family, commemorating these special times as we have done in the past.
The Department will be using a range of platforms, events, and opportunities to make it easier for people to access vaccination services in the next few months. These will include sporting, cultural, and religious events. Such interventions will be crucial in ensuring that South Africa achieves its target of vaccinating 70% of its population.
Following the discussions between government and the Premier Soccer League, there will be vaccination services at the soccer stadiums this weekend, to enable unvaccinated and partly vaccinated soccer-loving fans to vaccinate. However, fans are reminded to arrive early with their match tickets, proof of identity and vaccination certificate, if vaccinated, otherwise they can vaccinate at the stadiums. Second and booster vaccine doses will also be available.
For more information and vaccination sites, please call 0800 029 999 or visit https://sacoronavirus.co.za/
For media enquiries, please contact:
Mr Foster Mohale - Director Media Relations
Cell: 072 432 3792
Email: Foster.mohale@health.gov.za
Mr Doctor Tshwale - Media Liaison Officer for Health Minister
Cell: 063 657 8487
Email: Doctor.Tshwale@health.gov.za
