VIOLENT protests and looting in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng have had an impact on the vaccination roll-out as some sites which may be at risk of damage will be temporarily closing, the Health Department said on Tuesday.
“If it is not clear whether an area has been affected, the public is advised to contact the vaccination site to which they have been scheduled before proceeding to the site for the administration of vaccines,” the department said in a statement.
The department said that those who had been scheduled to be vaccinated at sites in districts or areas that are affected by the unrest are advised to defer their vaccination.
For those unable to keep their appointment, the Electronic Vaccine Data System will automatically reschedule a time for them.
The department will soon publicise a list of affected areas and sites.
The social unrest follows the imprisonment of former president Jacob Zuma last week, when he began to serve his 15-month prison term for contempt of court.
A number of hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal have been affected by the protests, as some vehicles were prevented from delivering oxygen intended for use by patients battling Covid-19.
While already operating on skeletal staff, a number of hospitals and clinics across the province have had a number of staff unable to report for work due to blockades and a lack of public transport.
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane said that in Howick, an ambulance was burnt on Monday night, while another was attacked with rocks in Marriannhill.
“Those who are protesting need to realise that by blocking health workers or ambulances from doing their job, they could be placing the lives of their own relatives in jeopardy. We really cannot afford a situation where lives are lost just because our health-care workers cannot get to work,” she said.
The Gauteng government said on Monday that the sporadic acts of violence and lawlessness in parts of the province were affecting the provision of services across the province.
“The current volatile environment has seen the people of Gauteng struggling to get to their places of employment due to limited access, and services being disrupted across the province,” read a statement.
Some vaccination sites in the affected areas have had to temporarily close over safety concerns and Emergency Medical Services teams are struggling to respond to distress calls in certain communities due to limited access.
Kwara Kekana, spokesperson for the Gauteng Department of Health, said: “Sites continue to operate, however some have a low turnout because of protest activity and road barricades. The situation is constantly evolving.”
Gauteng has been hardest hit by the Covid-19 third wave and accounts for around 50-60% of daily new cases according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.
Meanwhile, the SANDF is deploying soldiers in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal to assist law-enforcement agencies to “quell the unrest that has gripped both provinces”, the SANDF said in a statement.