This is as they prepare for the third-wave that is currently affecting the Gauteng province that has resulted in army medics being roped to aid with the escalating situation.
On Wednesday morning educators across the country began lining up at various sites for their COVID-19 vaccinations.
North West province department of education says it is targeting more than 18 000 people in the sector, for their vaccine roll-out programme, that includes teachers, cleaners, security guards, support and admin staff.
The province has thus far received 10 000 doses of the J &J vaccine for the education sector.
In KZN provincial education MEC Kwazi Mshengu and Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane, will launch a mass vaccination drive in Pinetown on Wednesday.
More than 127 000 teachers and support staff are expected to receive the COVID-19 vaccine over the next two weeks in KwaZulu-Natal.
Gauteng education department says they will ‘not be cutting any-corners’ as they continue with inoculation that will target all educators and administration across the province.
In Naledi, Soweto teachers were lining up early in the morning for inoculation.
Educators follow on the heels of people aged 60 years and older who are now eligible to receive the vaccine as part of the country’s phase 2 rollout.
Meanwhile, ride-hailing service Uber SA is offering 100,000 free rides to help school staff get vaccinated from Wednesday.
The vaccine rollout programme for school staff kicked off on Wednesday and is set to run until July 8.
To support government and reduce transport barriers for those needing to access the vaccine, Uber SA has vowed to transport school staff to and from vaccination sites.
Speaking on eNCA, general manager for Uber Sub-Saharan Africa Frans Hiemstra said the ride service has distributed a link and voucher codes to the basic education department to verify staff.
He said the 100,000 free rides will be increased if need be to make sure all staff are vaccinated.
“The voucher will be applied to a maximum of R150 for one way, and another R150 for return,” Hiemstra.
“We suspected R150 should be good, given how well the distribution sites are positioned.”
The free ride is part of Uber’s global initiative of offering 10-million rides to those seeking transportation to get vaccinate.
Image (Educators at Soweto school received jabs this morning).
