- A 99-year-old Drakenstein woman has received her Covid-19 vaccine jab.
- Her 65-year-old daughter joined her.
- The Western Cape has already administered over 25 000 vaccinations.
A 99-year-old Western Cape woman and her 65-year-old daughter have received their Covid-19 vaccine jabs – thanks to their neighbour.
Nowatshini Ndaku and her daughter, Thandiswa, received their jabs at the Mbekweni Community Hall in Paarl on Monday.
"When community health workers visited homes in the Mbekweni area to support residents with registering for the Covid-19 vaccination, Nowatshini and her daughter were not home. When they returned, their neighbour told them about the visit and made phone calls on their behalf to find out how they can register," Western Cape Government Health spokesperson Sandra Maritz said.
Maritz added that the neighbour used her phone to register the two and notified them when it was time for their appointment.
The appointment was scheduled for Friday, but rain prevented them from going.
"We were very happy that it was our turn. We had seen on TV how well-known people got vaccinated, and we could not wait to go for our vaccinations. This was long-awaited," Thandiswa said.
Nowatshini, who will turn 100 in October, is one of the oldest people in the province to receive the Covid-19 vaccine jab, Maritz said.
In May, a 103-year-old woman in Delft, Cape Town, also received the shot.
The Western Cape has administered 498 404 vaccine doses to date.
"The lockdown has been a challenging time for the family, but they feel safer now that they've had the first of the two-dose vaccine. The vaccine will protect them against serious disease if they do get Covid-19. They [now] eagerly wait for their appointment in August to go for their second injection. It is important that people who have received their first dose of the vaccine continue to adhere to safety measures such as wearing their masks, keeping a distance from other people and avoiding gatherings," Maritz said.
Without the assistance of their neighbour, Thobeka Njovane, vaccination may not have become a reality for the mother and daughter.
Nowatshini said:
To register or assist an elderly person in your community to register for vaccination, dial *134*832* or WhatsApp the word REGISTER to 0600 123 456. If you are 60 or older, you can also ask to be registered at your nearest vaccination site.
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