False Bay Hospital’s vaccination clinic is experiencing a shortage of vaccines due to high demand.
Several residents contacted the False Bay Echo on Monday saying the clinic was closed when they had arrived for their appointments.
However, Western Cape Department of Health spokesperson Natalie Watlington said the clinic was not closed, but the allocated doses of vaccines were used up by late morning and those with booked appointments that had arrived afterwards could not be accommodated.
Due to the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) automatically generating appointments, the appointments generated outweigh the current vaccination supply at some vaccination sites, Ms Watlington said.
The hospital had no control over the matter and acknowledged that it was distressing for those who had made the necessary arrangements to attend the vaccination site for their appointment.
“We foresee that there will be challenges over the next two weeks,” she said.
She said patients should give their name and contact number to the clinic queue marshal if vaccines ran out so that a new appointment could be scheduled. They could also email SWSS.Helpdesk@westerncape.gov.za to reschedule an appointment.
All patients would be vaccinated despite it not being on the exact date of their appointment, Ms Watlington said.
