750,000-jab target for vaccination site at Cape Town convention centre
Image: Esa Alexander
The mass Covid-19 vaccination site at Cape Town International Convention Centre will administer 750,000 jabs over six months.
This was announced on Thursday by the three partners who will run the site: the Western Cape government, the City of Cape Town and Discovery Health.
The site's 50 vaccination stations will open early in July and operate until December under the initial contracts.
“By collaborating in this way, the CTICC will be one of the largest and most sophisticated vaccination sites in the country, leveraging the resources and capacity of both the public and private sector and thereby accelerating access to vaccination for greater numbers of residents,” said a joint statement.
Access to vaccinations will be provided equally to residents of the Cape Town metro regardless of whether they have medical aid, the statement added.
The medical insurer will be responsible for “client experience, various aspects of the technology solution and administrative functions”, while the province “will be primarily responsible for overall co-ordination, supply of vaccine, clinical and facilities management”.
The Pfizer-BioNTech double dose and Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccines will both be administered.
Premier Alan Winde said on Thursday: “This project clearly demonstrates the importance of the private sector in our province and what can be achieved when we work together with them.”
Discovery Health CEO Ryan Noach said: “We are particularly proud that this site will provide access to vaccines for all residents, including Discovery Health members, members of other medical schemes and people who do not have medical aid.”
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