President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday said he was encouraged that many South Africans were vaccinating against the coronavirus because it “was a surest guarantee of a swift health and economic recovery” from the pandemic for the country.
Ramaphosa, speaking in his weekly message to the nation, said he visited two vaccination centres in the country at the weekend and was impressed with their work – both in the private and public sectors.
He said South Africans needed to keep listening to the Ministry of Health and the UN World Health Organisation for timely advice concerning the pandemic.
“We need to avoid spreading misleading and false information that can cause confusion,” Ramaphosa said.
He added: “Vaccines are safe. They are our best protection against this disease. The national vaccination programme is our surest guarantee of a swift health and economic recovery.”
He said one of the two vaccination sites he visited is run by the private sector in partnership with government, “yet both facilities had similar levels of excellent service and professionalism.”
“The two vaccination sites I visited are among an estimated 3,000 vaccination sites we have set up in the country,” he said.
According to the president, the number of vaccinations administered in South Africa has passed the 7.5 million-mark.
NM/jn/APA