WATCH: CTICC vaccine queue snakes around building as over 18s come out for jabs

The Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) was packed on Friday with people over 18 queued up to get their jabs. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency

The Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) was packed on Friday with people over 18 queued up to get their jabs. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency

Published Aug 20, 2021

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Cape Town - In stark contrast to images from earlier this week, the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) was packed on Friday with people over 18 queued up to get their jabs, that the line was snaking around the building.

Pictures and posts of 18 to 34-year-old age cohort queuing for their Covid-19 vaccine filled social media after a statement from government, following Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, revealed that it was decided to open up the registration.

Many had been pleading for the opening of the vaccine registration as images of empty vaccine sites made their way online. Even just as recently as Wednesday, the CTICC was nearly empty as vaccinations had lulled.

The CTICC Centre of Hope looks empty during lunchtime. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency(ANA)
The CTICC Centre of Hope looks empty during lunchtime. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency(ANA)
Nurse Laetitia Saville at The CTICC Centre of Hope vaccination site which looks empty during lunchtime. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency (ANA)

On Thursday, however, Cabinet announced: “As part of increasing the vaccination roll-out programme, Cabinet approved the vaccination of persons aged between 18 years and 35 years from 20 August 2021.”

The news was welcomed by Western Cape Premier Alan Winde who said he was excited at the announcement as he had also called for the vaccination of residents 18 years and older to be brought forward.

“We’ve seen major interest from this age group, and we look forward to them making use of our vaccination sites. We have the capacity, infrastructure and supplies to manage this increased demand.

“To the young people who will now be eligible for your vaccine – the vaccines are safe, they work, and they will help get our economy growing again, saving jobs,” said Winde.

On Friday morning, the young people came out to get their jabs.

Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency
Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency
Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency
Long queue at the Cape Town International Convention Centre CTICC as vaccinations to aged between 18 and 35 opens. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency
Long queue at the Cape Town International Convention Centre CTICC as vaccinations to aged between 18 and 35 opens. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency
Long queue at the Cape Town International Convention Centre CTICC as vaccinations to aged between 18 and 35 opens. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency

Earlier this week provincial Health Department spokesperson Mark van der Heever said that vaccine hesitancy was having an impact on the national vaccine roll-out but that the department was looking at several options to address this.

“Our local teams are actively engaging communities where there is low uptake.

“We have also initiated several outreaches to vulnerable groups such as farmworkers, bed-ridden people and those at shelters. We have also been vaccinating people who do not have identification documents,” said Van der Heever.

There was also reports of some vaccinations sites across the metro running out of vaccines as the youngsters came to get their Covid-19 vaccinations. Many people shared their experience going to multiple sites in an attempt to get the jab.

Those who visited the CTICC also took to social media to share their excitement at getting vaccinated:

— Apocolipstick (@Apocolipstick1) August 20, 2021
— LB 🇵🇸 (@LeilaBadsha) August 20, 2021
— Jules (@Julie_3006) August 20, 2021

Cape Argus