The Department of Health has approved a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine for the 12-17 age group.

Registration on the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) is now open for this age group to receive their second jab.

The SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) had already approved a third dose of Pfizer for those 12 years of age and older who are severely immunosuppressed.

Now, a third booster dose for everyone 18 years and older has also been approved, and it is expected to be offered to people from January …

At the same time, the  Western Cape Health Department said it’s ready to roll out the booster programme as soon as EVDS enables it.

The Western Cape Health platform data indicates:

• There are steep increases in the number of daily new cases with on average 665 new diagnoses per day. The Western Cape will reach the fourth wave when this hits around 1100 cases per day, on a 7-day rolling average.
• The proportion of tests coming back positive has increased to an average of 20%.
• Admissions are showing signs of an early increase with 19 admissions per day. Deaths remain low with <2 deaths per day.
• Overall, there is a 587% week on week increase in cases in the Metro, and 326% week on week increase in Rural, albeit off lower bases.
• All sub-districts in the Cape Metro are seeing increases in cases.
• All rural districts are also seeing increases in cases except in Central Karoo.
• There is a clear private sector predominance of those being infected.
• The reproduction number reached a high of 2.5. It is higher than what was experienced early on in the second and third waves.

Over 80% of PCR specimens in the last week in the Western Cape have the proxy marker of the Omicron COVID-19 variant. This indicates that the rapid increase in cases being experienced is linked to this new variant, as is the case in other provinces in South Africa.