COSATU welcomes the Department of Health’s decision to deploy mobile vaccine units for Election Day

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes the Department of Health and its private sector partners’ deployment of 938 mobile vaccine units for election day, Monday 1 November.

This is another opportunity for those who have not yet been vaccinated, to do so. This is a timeous boost in preparation for an anticipated 4th wave at the end of November. Many will be located near voting stations; others will be deployed to locations with a large amount of traffic, whilst it was not possible for vaccine units to be deployed to cover all 24 500 voting districts, most municipalities, towns, and communities have been covered. 

COSATU applauds our heroic health workers who once again have responded to the call of duty and sacrificed their day off to help. The nation owes our nurses, doctors, paramedics, and other health workers a debt of eternal gratitude. 

Vaccines have proven to be highly effective, around the world, in massively lowering infection, transmission, serious illness, hospitalisation and death rates. They are critical to saving lives and livelihoods and allowing the economy to emerge safely.

Whilst the vaccines are effective, persons over 60 years of age or with serious co-morbidities remain at risk.  This means that we all need to continue wearing masks, sanitising and socially distancing.  We have the tools to win this war in our hands.

Again, the Federation encourages all workers, their families, and children above 12 years of age who have not been vaccinated yet, to do so on election day. 

Issued by COSATU

Sizwe Pamla (Cosatu National Spokesperson)  

Tel: 011 339 4911
Cell: 060 975 6794