South Africa targets 67% vaccination against coronavirus to achieve herd immunity

In order to ensure herd immunity, South Africa is aiming to vaccinate at least 67 per cent of the population for COVID-19, starting with the most vulnerable.

“We are targeting a minimum of 67 per cent of the population to achieve herd immunity and the approach will be a phased rollout of the vaccine,” health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said.

While briefing the public on Sunday, Mkhize had said the vaccines will need to be made available quickly to ensure most of the citizens are covered by the end of the first year of rollout this year.

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In the first phase, vaccines will be made available to1.2 million healthcare workers. In the second phase, essential workers including those living in congregate settings, persons over 60 years of age and persons above 18 years with comorbidites will have access to the vaccine.

The third phase will see persons above 18 years of age being offered the vaccine which means 40 million citizens would have been immunized, which is equivalent to approximately 67.25 per cent of the targeted population, Mkhize said.

The minister added the COVAX agreement would see enough vaccines to cover 10 per cent of the population delivered by the second quarter of 2021, even though they were working continuously to make it more early.

The vaccines for the remaining 57 per cent of the population would have to be sourced through bilateral agreements, Mkhize added.
As of January 3, there are 1.1 million positive cases and total deaths of 29,577 in the country. South Africa is battling the second wave of new cases of around 11,859 average in a day.