Teacher unions laud ‘ambitious’ jab rollout plan
As teachers prepare to roll up their sleeves for the Covid-19 jab, unions have described the government's vaccination programme as ambitious.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says more than half-a-million teachers will receive the vaccine from Wednesday.
Naptosa's Basic Manuel says: "Yes there some concerns, we are worried about the ability of very province and every district to pull off what is a huge logistical task but I have seen the plans, the plans look credible and I want to hope that this will be a boost for the entire vaccination programme that we can pull off 500 000 in two weeks.
Sadtu's Mugwena Maluleke feels it's a realistic goal.
"The number of vaccination centre that have been identified together with the department of health and education department has made it possible for the teacher to be able to get vaccinated within the 14 days, however, should it happen that there are technical problems, then the process of vaccination wil still proceed even during the holidays when the teachers are at home."
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During a media briefing this past weekend, Motshekga said teachers of all ages, can get the jab.
"We need to note however that there are exclusion criteria; which means that there are some people, who may not qualify to be vaccinated.
"These individual may include, but not limited to, any person who had contracted Covid-19 in the past 30 days, any person who was vaccinated using another vaccine (Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson, under Sisonke) or any person who had received a flu vaccine in the past 14 days."
