Govt's Phase 2 vaccination target 'unrealistic': Steenhuisen
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on government to bring in additional private sector help to speed up South Africa's vaccine rollout.
Today is the start of Phase 2 of South Africa's Covid-19 vaccination programme.
On Sunday, the Health Department admitted it would be a slow start - and said it would continue inoculating health care workers and complete the targeted 1,2 million by the end of this week.
The department also plans to vaccinate five million senior citizens d by the end of June.
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DA leader John Steenhuisen says this is unachievable given how Phase 1 was not completed on time.
"It's a completely unrealistic target if one looks at the number of vaccines available and the lack of sites.
"This has been excruciating unacceptably slow. We would like to see a far bigger harnessing of the private sector - particularly GPs, chemists, pharmacies around the country to be roped in to be able to get the vaccines done."
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Steenhuisen says this is a huge risk as the country may potentially experience a third wave.
"We need to be vaccinating far greater and far faster. We are going into winter. We know that the numbers are starting to rise, so if every person is not vaccinated, becomes vulnerable."
