Covid 19: Children Over 12 Can Now Get Vaccinated in SA, Mzansi Does Not Seem on Board

• Minister of Health Joe Phaahla stated on Friday that children over the age of 12 can now get the Covid 19 jab in South Africa
• These children will be able to be registered on the Electronic Vaccination Data System starting 20 October
• The Department of Health says children between 12 and 17 years of age will be getting both doses of the Pfizer vaccine

JOHANNESBURG - Children between the ages of 12 and 17 can get the Covid 19 vaccine in South Africa, says Minister of Health Joe Phaahla.

The announcement was made on Friday during a pressing briefing by the Department of Health to update the country on the pandemic.

The Department of Health had initially looked at allowing kids over 12 to get vaccinated at the end of the month of October because, at the time, the department was focused on getting the adult population vaccinated first. More specifically, people over the age of 50, according to News24.

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The go-ahead for coronavirus jabs for children was given on Tuesday after a meeting between health officials and the Ministerial Advisory Committee was held, reports BusinessTech.

The Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) will open for registration for children on Wednesday, 20 October.

The department had planned on only administrating one dose of the Pfizer vaccine but after much deliberation, children will also be given the second Pfizer dose, says Phaahla.

There were concerns about the safety of administering both doses to children but research found that children who had severe side-effects after the second dose were much younger than the age group that will be getting the vaccine.

Briefly News broke the news of the Department of Health's latest announcement on Facebook. Here are some of the reactions from our readers:

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Linah Mohahla commented:

"Me and my family we serve God, not vaccine."

Joel Yvonne commented:

"The way I suffered after getting the jab, I don't think I ready to let my kids suffer. My uncle went blind after he got vaccinated."

Dinah Elizabeth commented:

"I don't think I can risk my 3 kids' life like that, only God will protect them. The pain I went through for 2 days, imagine my 3 angels."

Paııge Mahøbe commented:

"I'd rather die from Covid 19 than be murdered by vaccination."

Lee Leentatainment commented:

"Protect your children."

SA to reach 20 months in State of Disaster: “Dlamini Zuma is drunk on power”

Briefly News previously reported that Minister of Cogta Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has extended South Africa's National State of Disaster by another month. The extension has already been gazetted until 15 November, 2021.

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The aforementioned was announced on Wednesday, 13 October. The State of Disaster was first implemented and declared on 15 March last year, which makes the total time the country has spent in this state amounting to almost 20 months.

Reports stated that there is a slim to no chance that it will not be extended into the festive December season and into next year.

Source: Briefly News