SA vaccine schedule 2021: Find out when it’s your turn to get the jab here

The first South Africans to receive a vaccine could be immunised as early as ‘next month’. That’s according to Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, who confirmed the full details of SA’s vaccination schedule via a Zoom meeting on Sunday.

Zweli Mkhize ‘wants to speed-up’ vaccination programme

Despite the fears of some medical professionals, it seems that the government has taken some vital steps towards accelerating the mass rollout of these jabs. Mkhize has stated that 10% of the population may receive the vaccine before the end of June 2021 – and negotiations with COVAX officials are ongoing.

“At this stage, we’ve secured doses that will be acquired through COVAX – which will ensure that we immunize 10% of the population and, in line with President’s statement, we expect the processes will have delivered the vaccine by the beginning of the second quarter. We are targeting a minimum of 67% of the population to achieve herd immunity.”

“Having secured for 10% of the population, we have embarked on other efforts to get the rest of the 57% of the population to be targeted by the end 2021 but, more importantly, we are making efforts to obtain vaccines much earlier, hopefully as early as February 2021. This will very much depend on the success of current bilateral negotiations.”

Zweli Mkhize

The complete vaccine schedule for South Africa in 2021

On Sunday, Minister Mkhize laid South Africa’s cards on the table. He outlined the three-phased approach to vaccinations, and frontline health care workers have been identified as the ‘top priority’. Some 1.25 million medical workers will get the jabs before anyone else. Essential workers, senior citizens, and patients with co-morbidities will then follow…

Phase One (first to receive the vaccine):

• Front line health care workers (HCW). Target population: 1.25 million

Phase Two:

• Essential workers. Target population: 2.5 million
• Persons in congregate settings. Target population: 1.1 million
• Persons aged 60 years and over. Target population: Five million
• Persons aged 18 years and over with co-morbidities. Target population: Eight million

Phase 3

• Other persons aged 18 years and over. Target population: 22.5 million