AS of next Monday, gogos and madalas will be in line for the Covid-19 vaccination as the Health Department kick-starts phase two of the roll-out programme.
The Gauteng department is targeting more than 1 300 000 people over the age of 60.
So far, under 250 000 elderly people had been registered on the EVDS system in Gauteng.
Though some of the elderly caught on to the digital way of doing things, those who were still behind would not be left stranded.
More than 10 000 community healthcare workers, development workers and social workers were to help register those with no access to the Internet or smart devices.
They would also help those who were unable to leave home and arrange for them to be vaccinated at home.
On Wednesday, 12 May MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi had first-hand experience of what call centre agents went through when dealing with clients over 60.
She said after calling four people, three were happy to be registered as they had been waiting for the vaccine for too long. However, one was sceptical and asked to think about it.
She said that the elderly were not easily reachable as some didn’t often carry their phones.
“It takes a bit of time because you need to interact with clients and explain the importance of vaccine.”
She also clarified that though they told people the benefits of vaccine, they could not force anyone to be vaccinated.
On the concerns that most sceptical people had raised were the possible side effects and recent scare of people who had developed blood clots in the USA after getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Those who were registered would get an SMS and receive further details as to where and when they would be vaccinated.
