Today, the City of Cape Town and Western Cape Government launched the walk-in section of the Athlone Stadium mass site – the second ‘Vaccination Centre of Hope’.

This will be followed by the launch of the drive-through component of the site in two weeks’ time.

At full capacity the site will be able to administer over 4000 vaccines a day through both its walk-in and drive-through sections.

Premier Alan Winde says that this demonstrates the province’s commitment to a vaccination programme based on fairness, access and equity.

“The philosophy of fairness and equity underlines the opening of the Athlone Vaccination Centre of Hope at the Athlone Stadium, which will bring a mass vaccination site closer to residents of the Cape Flats, while providing an efficient, well-run service. Every life matters, and so every person must have access to these life-saving vaccines. It doesn’t matter where you live, or what you earn.”

The Athlone Stadium was chosen as it is easily accessible, via all forms of transport, to the broader Klipfontein community and serves a large majority of the uninsured population in the Cape Metro.

This walk-through service will have 40 vaccination stations while the drive-through services will have five lanes. The drive-through will follow the same steps as a walk-through, with cars stopping at five stations, which will ensure that clients are successfully screened, registered, and vaccinated.