Cape Town - Health Minister Joe Phaahla has hinted at allowing fans back into stadiums if more people are vaccinated by the end of the year.
He said the government aimed to vaccinate 70% of the population, or 30 million people, by the end of this year as more age groups were added to the vaccination programme.
The minister’s announcement on Friday comes on the day the government has allowed 18 year olds and above to be vaccinated.
Phaahla said the country had administered 10 million vaccines and wanted to ramp up the vaccination programme, getting more people to get the jab.
He said that if more people were vaccinated, it would allow more economic activities to be opened.
“The possibility of liberating ourselves from the clutches of Covid-19 is now in our hands. We can open up economic activities, religious, cultural and sporting activities.
“Sporting activities with fans in the stadium is a possibility. We have seen that happening in Europe. We can have a better last quarter of 2021, better than 2020. We can have a better Christmas and even a better 2022.”
Phaahla said the vaccination of those above the age of 18 would also bring 700 000 students from universities across the country. That excluded those of the same age group in other sectors of society.
The Cabinet had brought forward the date of the vaccination of those who are 18 years and above.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
Political Bureau