Vaccinations going strong at new Rhodes University site

The Covid-19 vaccination programme at Rhodes University is going strong and the site hopes to double its capacity for daily jabs in the near future.

The university launched its vaccination site at the Gavin Reilly Postgraduate Village last week and has the capacity to provide 80-100 vaccinations a day.

The initial focus is on staff and students who are eligible, but it hopes to expand capacity to 200 people a day and include the broader Makhanda community.

“This marks an important milestone for our university as we make a significant contribution in the implementation of the national strategy of the department of health, department of higher education, science and innovation and higher health,” Rhodes University vice-chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela said.

“Our partnering with the Sarah Baartman department of health in becoming an outreach vaccination site means we will be able to contribute meaningfully to the vaccination drive of the wider Makhanda community and the province.”

Deputy vice-chancellor of academic and student affairs and chair of the university’s coronavirus task team, Dr Mabokang Monnapula-Mapesela, said the vaccination site fitted in with the task team’s plan to develop and implement a strategy to reduce the impact of Covid-19 on staff and students, and ensure continuity of Rhodes’s academic programme.

Rhodes University virology specialist Prof Rosie Dorrington encouraged the public to register for vaccination.

“The vaccine is the only way that you will avoid serious illness and possible hospitalisation from this virus,” Dorrington said.

“In my opinion, this is the most serious health threat humankind has faced in the last 100 years and this is the most serious virus that we will face in our lifetime.”

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