Premier Alan Winde says the big focus over the next few days will be to get as many elderly residents registered on the system to receive a vaccine.

Winde and the provincial Health Department briefed the media during his weekly digicon about Phase 2 of the vaccine roll-out programme which officially starts on Monday.

Winde also revealed that the province is experiencing a resurgence in Covid-19 cases, but it’s not a third wave yet.

Winde says they want as many residents as possible, who are 60 years and older, to register

The Head of Health in the Western Cape Dr. Keith Cloete says Phase 1b and Phase 2 will start together on Monday.

Phase 1b is the continuation of the vaccination drive of health care workers, and Phase 2 targets those 60 years and older.

Cloete says they will begin in old age homes, then scale up as the weeks progress. He says by the end of next week they should be able to vaccinate over 30 thousand people per day, which will be scaled up even further the weeks thereafter.

Meanwhile, Cloete has called on people, who are not healthcare workers, not to jump the queue, to get vaccinated against covid-19.

This after reports surfaced on social media, of people getting their Johnson & Johnson jab, which is part of the Sisonke trial, but NOT being a worker in the health-care industry.

Cloete says the confusion could have set in, when the Sisonke trial added more criteria, for those to receive the inoculation.  As it stands, any vaccination doses, which is not used as part of the trial, must be returned to the company.

Residents 60 years and older can now register to get a Covid-19 vaccine via a Whatsapp number. Send the word “REGISTER” to 0600 123 456.
You can also register by SMS by dialing *134*832* , your ID number followed by # and then DIAL.
If you don’t have an ID number just dial *134*832#.

If you're 60+, now is the time to register for your COVID-19 vaccine. WhatsApp "REGISTER" to 060 012 3456 and answer the questions that follow. #LetsDoThis

You can also register via our website (https://t.co/bLHGiWjCHI) or you can dial *134*832# from any SA network for free. pic.twitter.com/0r6OH3yZLL

— Premier Alan Winde (@alanwinde) May 13, 2021