International Relations and Cooperation Minister Dr Naledi Pandor visited the SMU/DGMAH vaccination site today 20 January 2022 to take her booster shot.

Speaking to SMU publications after receiving the shot, Minister Pandor congratulated the University and the hospital for running a properly arranged and good site for vaccination. “I think proper arrangements have been made for the site, it is well ventilated and professionally run with great staff members”, said the Minister.

Minister Pandor said she needed to take a booster shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and heard that it is available at the SMU/DGMAH vaccination site. She was also pleased that the site offers both the Pfizer as well as the Johnson &Johnson vaccines.

She challenged members of society to go and voluntarily vaccinate in their numbers to ensure that everyone is protected. “If I have been so disciplined and vaccinated with the right number of doses, every person in our country should make themselves voluntarily available to be vaccinated. Each of us have a responsibility to protect ourselves, our families and the rest of society. Being vaccinated is to perform your patriotic duty and not just to the South African population but to the global population. We are a global community confronted by a global pandemic”, concluded Minister Pandor.

SMU Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Mbati met with the Minister and thanked her for leading by example as well as choosing to vaccinate at the SMU/DGMAH site. Prof Mbati called upon members of the community to emulate the Minister to come and vaccinate at the site. Vaccines for Covid-19 have been shown to reduce severe disease and mortality and are lifesaving. Being vaccinated will protect people from severe illness and/or death. Vaccination will reduce but not prevent mild to moderate illness.

As COVID-19 variants emerge, research has shown that protection against COVID-19 is related to antibody levels. Booster vaccines are a reliable and safe way of increasing antibody levels and currently recommended for all individuals above 18 years by the National Department of Health.

The public is reminded that the following can be done at the SMU/DGMAH vaccination site:

• Pfizer booster dose is available after 6 months (180 days) of the second dose
• J & J booster dose is available after two months (60 days) of the first dose
• Families are welcome to bring children from 12-17 years for vaccination – those teenagers who have received their first dose of Pfizer, can have a second dose 42 days after the first jab as well.

The vaccination site is operational between Monday and Friday from 8:00 am to 15h00 pm.