How to register to get the COVID-19 vaccine
South African citizens who are 60 years old or above can now register for the COVID-19 vaccine. Here is a guide on how to do it.
There have been over 1,5million coronavirus cases in South Africa. As of 16 April 2021, at least 50,000 people have died from the deadly virus.
To stop the spread of the virus and prevent its severity, government has secured millions of vaccine doses.
Officials are currently busy with phase 1 of the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out. Phase two will start in May and the government is hoping to vaccinate senior citizens who are at a high risk of hospitalization.
READ: Online registration for vaccines to open today
According to the government website, all healthcare workers (public & private) and citizens who are 60 years and above can register to get vaccinated.
"Today is our great pleasure to launch the official South African Covid-19 vaccination program registration portal. The electronic vaccination data system is now available to the general public and invites all citizens aged 60 years and above to register for vaccination. Those who will be turning 60 from 2021 will then be eligible for registration," said Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize.
How to register:
The South African government website states that you will need the following to register:
1. Access to the internet on any device (cellphone, laptop, tablet, desktop etc.)
2. Your ID number or Passport (non-RSA), general contact information (your cellphone number will be used as the primary mode of communication).
3. Information about your employment (primary employer and location of work)
4. Where relevant, your professional registration details, and medical aid are also requested.
Registration should take approximately 2-3 minutes.
Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has assured South Africans that their information will be protected when they register for the COVID-19 vaccine.
The website states that information submitted during registration will be used to:
- Identify eligible vaccination beneficiaries
- Plan supply of vaccines and ancillary items
- Allocate beneficiaries to their nearest available service point
- Communicate with enrolled individuals about the vaccination program, including but not limited to: eligibility, where they will be vaccinated and follow-up vaccination appointments.
Safety concerns
There has been concerns around the world about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. This comes after six reported cases of rare blood clots in patients who received the Johnson & Johnson jabs in the US.
South Africa has temporarily suspending the Johnson and Johnson vaccine rollout.
However, the health minister has called for calm as investigations are still underway.
Johnson & Johnson said it has been reviewing the cases and asked that those who experience symptoms within three weeks of taking the jab should contact their health care practitioner.
“ We are aware of an extremely rare disorder involving people with blood clots in combination with low platelets in a small number of individuals who have received our COVID-19 vaccine,” Johnson & Johnson said in a statement.
“The health authorities advise that people who have received our COVID-19 vaccine and develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider,” reads a statement on the website.
READ: Other vaccines have been procured amid J&J pause assures Ramaphosa