PRETORIA – At least 3 500 South African Police Service (SAPS) employees had been inoculated by the third day of a national Covid-19 vaccination campaign, the service said today.
“Those who have received the vaccine have rallied behind SAPS management’s clarion call to vaccination as a measure of ensuring that the infection, transmission and mortality rate within the organisation is reduced,” national spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said.
As of last night, Mathe said the number of SAPS employees that had tested positive for Covid-19 had risen to 32 894.
“The recovery rate sits at 30 955 with the mortality rate remaining at 673,” she said.
This morning it was “all systems go” for the countrywide expansion of the programme, Mathe said.
“Management is once again urging more of its police officers and support personnel in all nine provinces to voluntarily present themselves at all registered sites across the country. The provincial vaccination drive of SAPS members and personnel kicks off today in seven provinces and will continue up until the first week of August,” she said.
“While the number of vaccinated members thus far consists of members in Gauteng, the province together with KwaZulu-Natal will launch their separate vaccination campaigns on Friday.”
Meanwhile, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has also announced the launch of its own vaccine programme.
SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said yesterday, the launch would take place at the Waterkloof military medical centre, situated inside the Waterkloof Air Force Base in Pretoria.
He said there were 16 vaccination sites identified for the purpose of inoculating uniformed, civilian and extended members of the military community across the country.
“The voluntary inoculation programme will be rolled out for all willing SANDF members and the military community,” he said, adding that priority would be given to regular force members, including reservists on call-up.
African News Agency (ANA)