ELDERLY VACCINATION BEGINS TODAY

MBABANE - COVID-19 vaccination for the elderly is starting today.

Despite the two-day delay in the inoculation process for the elderly by the Ministry of Health, the vaccination process is starting today in the different tinkhundla centres in the country.
This is according to a press statement sent by the Minister of Health, Lizzie Nkosi, who said the start of the outreach programme to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to the elderly (60 years and above) starts today. “The outreach vaccination exercise covers all 59 tinkhundla centres and starts from today until April 5, 2021 (next week Tuesday). The vaccinating team will be moving from one inkhundla to another according to a designated schedule and time. It is, therefore, important that the elderly keeps time as the team has been allocated three hours in each inkhundla,” said Nkosi.

The minister said the ministry encouraged all qualifying citizens to register through the https://www.eswatinihealth.org/vaccine-registration link. “On site registration is available for those who are unable to register online. People should bring their national identity card to the vaccination sites. After vaccinating, they will receive a vaccination card. “People should check their cellphones to ensure if they had received a confirmation SMS for their vaccination. This SMS is critical to confirm that people have been captured in the system. The vaccination card should be kept in a safe place,” said the minister.  

Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr Simon Zwane also confirmed that the vaccination process for the elderly was starting today, emphasising that the elderly should carry their national identification cards. When asked what would happen to those without national identification cards, Zwane said they would still be vaccinated. “Elders without ID cards should still come. It is important that they get vaccinated,” said Dr Zwane. Meanwhile, Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) President Bheki Mamba said the opening of schools required that the elderly get vaccinated promptly. “The opening of schools means the elderly are now susceptible to the virus because most of the elderly stay with their school-going grandchildren. They have to gain immunity before their exposure to the virus increases,” said Mamba.

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