Khayelitsha health-care workers get a booster shot

Cape Town - Health-care workers and residents of Khayelitsha received their booster vaccine shots at the Khayelitsha District Hospital on Wednesday.

MEC for Health Nomafrench Mbombo was at the venue to witness proceedings.

The booster shots are meant for those who have already been vaccinated.

A doctor at the hospital, Austin Goliath, said he felt fine after taking his booster shot. He said there had been a lot of controversies surrounding the booster shots but he felt nothing.

Goliath encouraged everyone who had been vaccinated to go for their booster shots.

“This is our only amour, everyone should take it, I’m glad I took it,” he said.

A traditional healer James Hlohla said he did not feel any pain while getting his booster shot. He said it was to prepare people for the next wave and people should come get it.

Hlohla said in their circle of traditional healers and their clients, there were stubborn people who did not want to be vaccinated.

“Vaccine does not heal it, prevents the virus but we get people who have not been vaccinated who are sick and we try and help them because it is too late,” he said.

Mbombo said this was for health workers who participated in the Sisonke phase three trial.

“These are the first people who were vaccinated as part of a trial, the evidence does show that J&J, although it is a one dose, unlike Pfizer, in six to eight months it does wear off,” she said.

Mbombo said the policy of the national government was that those who had terminal illnesses did qualify to get the booster shot.

She said for the general public there was no pronouncement around that because it needed to be approved first.

Weekend Argus