Athlone Vaccination Centre of Hope Drive-through officially closed its doors

The Western Cape’s Health Department closed the Athlone Vaccination Centre of Hope Drive-through on Saturday.

This was the first drive-through vaccination service in the province since it officially opened on 3 September 2021

In a statement, the department said the Athlone Stadium mass vaccination site was no longer maintaining the envisioned vaccination results as the Department has made vaccinations accessible to all communities.

‘’…made vaccinations accessible to all communities by creating pop-up vaccination sites in residential areas and to homeless clients, home vaccinations to bedridden clients, taking the vaccine to work environments, and schools, vaccinating at SASSA pay points, and shopping malls and centres including the Vaxi Taxi services which are being utilized in many other residential areas in the metro. The vaccination services have been integrated into healthcare facilities for ease of access and can be accessed at all community day centres and 24-hour health centres in the Klipfointein and Mitchells Plain area. There are fixed vaccination sites in communities and social mobilizing teams encouraging and educating people in residential areas to get vaccinated.’’

The mass vaccination site was a contractual agreement between the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government, and administered close to 81 000 vaccinations since its opening.

The Drive-through had ten vaccination stations including EVDS registration set up which accommodated all modes of transport from vehicles, taxis, work vans, motorcycles, bicycles, mini-vans with family bubbles to horse and cart.

“Saturday 26 March 2022 marked another important milestone in the Western Cape Government Health’s vaccination programme as we officially closed the Athlone Vaccination Centre of Hope. I would like to thank the staff of the Athlone site, the role the City of Cape Town colleagues played in assisting in getting the mass site operational and all staff in the province for their dedication to ensuring that our citizens are vaccinated to protect them against COVID-19,” says Dr Saadiq Kariem, Deputy General, Western Cape Government Health. 

“Since the opening of the Athlone Vaccination Centre of Hope Walk-through on 17 August 2021 and then the Drive-through on 3 September 2022, a total of 80 649 people were vaccinated at both the Walk-through and Drive-through combined,” added Dr Kariem.

 

PICTURE: WCDoH

Done By: Mitchum George