Vooma Vaccination Weekend (01 to 03 October 2021). While encouraged by the number of those who have vaccinated, Cabinet has appealed to those who have yet to get their COVID-19 jab, to do so during the upcoming Vooma Vaccination Weekend.

At its meeting on Wednesday, Cabinet said it is encouraged by the millions of people in South Africa who have chosen to vaccinate against COVID-19, with over 17 million vaccine doses administered to date.

Cabinet thanked the religious formations as well as the sports and arts fraternity for embarking on vaccination campaigns to encourage the uptake of vaccines.

“The more people get vaccinated, the sooner the country will relax the current Adjusted Alert Level 2 restrictions. This will inevitably result in the full opening of the economy to be able to grow and create much-needed jobs,” Cabinet said in a statement.

“Cabinet reiterates the call that to reduce new infections, we all have to continue wearing a mask in public, washing hands with soap and water or using a 70% alcohol-based sanitiser and maintaining a safe social distance continues to reinforce the country’s approach in reducing new infections.”

Cabinet has also urged unvaccinated South Africans and people living in South Africa to take advantage of the Vooma Vaccination Weekend, which will take place around the country on Friday and Saturday.

The Vooma Vaccination Weekend campaign is an inclusive national campaign supported by all social partners, faith-based formations, traditional leaders, organised labour and business. President Cyril Ramaphosa has written letters to various stakeholders to get them involved in amplifying government’s message to get people vaccinated during the weekend.

The target for this weekend is to vaccinate at least half a million people. Cabinet said the initiative an opportunity for all adults to be vaccinated free of charge and without appointments at public, private and pop-up vaccination sites.

“You don’t need to have health insurance or medical aid to receive the vaccine. Leadership of government, business, labour and community formations will actively mobilise communities in all parts of the country to roll up their sleeves for the protection that comes with being vaccinated.”