The departmental spokesperson, Josial Ramokoena, says the Covid-19 vaccination drive of inmates commenced on Monday, whilst the officials are set to receive their Johnson and Johnson dose on Wednesday. 

Some inmates have already received their vaccines owing to their age, as stipulated by the Department of Health's guidelines. According to Ramokoena, Grootvlei Prison has the biggest offender population and they intend to inoculate both officials and inmates until 7 August 2021 to reach herd immunity otherwise. Meanwhile, the North West province also kick-started its Johnson and Johnson vaccination programme on Monday.

Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola and the Acting Minister of Health, Mmamoloko Kubayi, is set to officially launch the Correctional Services Vaccination rollout programme, on Tuesday 20 July 2021, at the Johannesburg Management Area.

According to Lamola's spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, the vaccination for the majority of Correctional Services officials commenced on the 15th of July 2021 and officials are being vaccinated in public and private vaccination sites across the country.

He says the vaccination of inmates will commence on Tuesday at the 90 approved vaccination sites in Correctional Centres across the country.

"The Department of Correctional Services has prioritised the vaccination of both officials and inmates to ensure their protection and that of the general public. Outbreaks of Covid-19 in Correctional Centres have the potential to spread to communities, hence the need to vaccinate both inmates and officials," Phiri adds.

OFM News