President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday launched a campaign to mobilise South Africans to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Dubbed the Vooma Vaccination Weekend, the campaign was launched by Ramaphosa in Katlehong in Gauteng province.
As many as 20,000 lives could be saved if the majority of the country’s adult population received their Covid-19 vaccines, Ramaphosa said as he pleaded for all citizens to do their bit.
According to Ramaphosa, the first Vooma Vaccination Weekend is taking place in all the districts of the country involving public and private health sectors, organised labour, business and community and faith-based organisations joining forces in the vaccination drive on Fridays and Saturdays.
“Vaccines are safe and easy to receive. They protect people against serious illness, hospitalisation and death,” Ramaphosa said.
He added: “And when the majority of people in the country are vaccinated, the nation will experience a greater sense of freedom and safety in social interactions and economic activity.”
During Vooma Vaccination Weekend, vaccination centres and points would be open all day across the country, Ramaphosa said, adding that “vaccines are also free of charge.”
Deputy President David Mabuza aunched his Vooma Vaccination Weekend campaign in the Bojanala Platinum district in North West province, while the rest of the cabinet members and other government officials spread out all over the country.
NM/jn/APA