By Nikashni Naidoo
The RK Khan Hospital vaccination team is encouraging Chatsworth residents to get their Covid-19 jab following indications of a looming fifth wave of the virus with the rise in infections.
Sisters Moshesh and Mavudla, who are part of this week’s rotation at the hospital’s vaccination site said that it is important for residents to visit the hospital to get vaccinated.
“We want residents to be informed that there is no hassle in getting your vaccine done at RK Khan Hospital. They do not have to wait in any queues, rather, they just have to enter through the gates and inform security. It really is as simple as that. More vaccinated residents in a community mean that more individuals are building up their immune systems to fight the virus. If more communities are immune then it will have a ripple effect on the nation as a whole. You have the power to stop the spread of Covid-19,” said Sister Moshesh.
Recently, the nation saw a climb in infections when 10 000 cases of Covid-19 were registered by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD). NICD spokesperson, Sinenhlanhla Jimoh cleared the air surrounding the rise in cases and confirmed that the climb in infections shows no sign of the ‘Pi’ variant yet.
“The recent rise in cases is most likely due to the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages of the Omicron variant of concern. We have not detected any new variant of concern in the samples which have been sequenced thus far,” she said. Jimoh advised residents on how the NICD believes the rise in cases should be handled.
“We are monitoring the number of cases and, more importantly, the number of Covid-19 hospitalisations and deaths (severe disease). At this stage, it is difficult to predict whether cases will continue to rise or start to level off. Public health measures include practising good hand hygiene, maintaining social distancing, and wearing masks indoors where ventilation is often poor, and staying home if you are sick. If symptoms worsen, consult your doctor,” she said.
She also confirmed that at this stage there has been a small increase in hospitalisations but no indication that the new sub-lineages are causing more severe disease. Jimoh said that NICD expects vaccinations to still be effective against severe disease, hospitalisations and deaths in the new wave of infections.
“It is important for the public to get their booster vaccinations, especially those at high risk of severe infections such as the elderly and those with underlying disease. Those who have not yet vaccinated are encouraged to vaccinate in order to decrease the risk of severe disease,” she said. Jimoh added that residents should also be aware of the upcoming winter season which may contribute to illnesses leaving residents’ immune systems weak.
“As the winter months approach, we are seeing increases in other respiratory pathogens. We had very little circulation of other respiratory pathogens such as influenza in the past two years due to the restrictions in place to control Covid-19. With lifting of these restrictions, we expect to see more circulation of other viruses. Those at risk of severe influenza like the elderly should be encouraged to get their flu vaccine,” she said. Westcliff resident, 71-year-old Gengiah Naidoo was pleased to have his second dose of the vaccine done in an efficient manner at the RK Khan Hospital recently.
He said: “As a senior citizen, it is important for me to listen to the experts when they say that the vaccine is needed and act on their advice. We need to pay heed to the professionals and use their knowledge to better our communities by improving our immunity against Covid-19. I humbly request Chatsworth residents to come through and get their vaccine especially since we are seeing a rise in infections. The fifth wave is upon us and it is up to us to ensure that the damages we face are minimal.”
RK Khan Hospital spokesperson, Mbali Mthalane is encouraging residents to register for their dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
There are four ways to register for your dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Dial *134*832# or call 0800 029 999. Alternatively visit https://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za or send a WhatsApp message saying Register to 060-012-3456.
“Our vaccination team also extends their heartfelt gratitude to Clive Pillay and the Nelson Mandela Community Youth Centre team for their hospitality and for providing the Chatsworth community with the facility to get their Covid-19 vaccination,” said Mthalane.
