We were delighted to see the enthusiasm of the youngest cohort as vaccination opened up for over 18s on Friday. In the first 24 hours, more than half a million people in that group registered for vaccination, and there were queues filled with young people at many vaccination sites.
We know, however, that with each new age group, there is an initial rush of early adopters, and then demand tapers off significantly – a situation both B4SA and the NDoH are acutely aware of.
The biggest risk that we now see is not vaccine support or capacity to vaccinate, but the sustained demand from all of South Africa’s adults. We need to move far and fast over the next few months to get 10s of millions of people vaccinated, especially given the prediction of a fourth wave starting before and lasting into the festive season. It is not just about reaching our desired targets so we can protect our lives and livelihoods, but also to chart a course that will allow us to resume our way of life and fully open up the economy as quickly as possible.
Read more: B4SA weekly update 24 August 21