More than 50% of adults in Western Cape have had the jab — here’s how other provinces are doing

More than half the adult population in the Western Cape has received at least a single dose of their Covid-19 vaccinations, the provincial health department said on Tuesday. 

The department said while this means protection for a significant part of the adult population, it was nowhere near its target of administering vaccines to 70% of the population in the province by the end of the year. 

It said this was a concern as the province entered the fourth wave of infections.

“With the new Omicron variant rapidly spreading, vaccination is more important than ever to protect against severe illness and death. We again appeal to those who have not yet been vaccinated to take up any of the many opportunities we are providing within their communities,” said the department. 

As of Monday evening, nearly 71% of the over-60 population in the province had at least one jab. This is the highest vaccine uptake in the adult population followed by the over-50 and over-35 cohorts at 61.63% and 53.42% respectively. 

Vaccination is lowest among the youth. 

The health department reported 39.61% of people aged between 18 and 34 and 78,716 adolescents between 12 and 17 years have had at least one jab,

People over 12 were the last to join the vaccination queue in October. The province committed to promoting vaccination in the lead up to the festive season.

The province administered more than 18,000 vaccines in the last 24 hours. 

Nationally, 26.6-million Covid-19 vaccines have been administered.

The Western Cape has administered a total of 4.2-million vaccines. 

PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION JABBED IN OTHER PROVINCES

The Western Cape has the highest percentage of its population with at least one shot of the vaccine, followed closely by the Free State, Limpopo and Eastern Cape.

Gauteng is the third lowest on the list, with only 39.96% of its population jabbed.

KwaZulu-Natal has the lowest percentage of its population with at least one shot of the vaccine.

Western Cape: 51.55%

Free State: 51.15%

Limpopo: 49.47%

Eastern Cape: 48.65%

Northern Cape: 44.95%

North West: 42.28%

Gauteng: 39.96%

Mpumalanga: 37.09%

KwaZulu-Natal: 36.99%.