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- Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital treated the first Covid-19 patient in Gauteng last year.
- The patient, who was present during the vaccination campaign at the hospital, traveled to Italy and had mild symptoms.
- The hospital plans to vaccinate about 500 health workers a day.
All was cheers and jubilation Tuesday morning at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital in Johannesburg when a team, which treated the first Gauteng Covid-19 patient a year ago, was vaccinated.
Dr. Jarrod Zamparini, who was one of the first to treat the patient, Glynne Mitchell, was the first to get the jab in full view of his colleagues and the hospital’s executive director, Gladys Bogoshi.
Mitchell, who was present during the historic moment at the hospital, was admitted to the hospital on March 7 of last year and was part of a group that tested positive after returning from a vacation in Italy.
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Zamparini was calm and collected, taking a selfie when he was hit on his left arm.
Gauteng Prime Minister David Makhura and Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi were also present at the hospital to witness the deployment.
Speaking to News24 and reflecting on the last year of treating Covid-19 patients, Zamparini said he was at home watching cricket on March 7 when he received a call indicating that the province’s first patient would be admitted to hospital. .
“There were many emotions [and] Thoughts running through our heads but we get out The staff was great; nurses, security guards, porters, and clerical staff – they were all brilliant and we just arrived and did our job.
“It was pretty overwhelming: all the PPE [personal protective equipment] we had to put on. It was a strange experience. It feels so long ago when it was just a year ago. “
The hospital has joined a group of sites in the province that are part of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine early access study.
He received 3,900 doses and planned to vaccinate 200 health workers on Tuesday, Bogoshi said.
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Bogoshi, who said she was delighted to witness the workers being beaten, added that the 200 who were vaccinated were to test the system, but that the hospital expected to vaccinate 500 to 600 workers daily.
Speaking after seeing the employees, who saved her life, get vaccinated, Mitchell said the feeling was incredible and she was grateful to be a part of the people who witnessed the moment.
Dr. Jarrod Zamparini receives a vaccine.
“Dr. Zamparini was the doctor who treated me at the time of admission. He was absolutely amazing; the experience is incredible; the staff, the administration, it was a great experience,” he added.
Diagnosed
Mitchell, who was asymptomatic and had mild symptoms when she was admitted, said that being diagnosed with the virus last year was heartbreaking and terrifying, adding that she had taken a lot of stress after testing positive.
“But I am here, I am a fighter and I am very happy to witness the vaccination of the front line workers. And it is forward and up, we can only hope that things get better and our lives are not the same as we knew them.” “
Makhura said the first anniversary of the virus’s arrival in the country was a reminder that it had been a long journey to get to the vaccine stage.
He added that the province is looking forward to when 10.4 million people will be vaccinated.
Makhura said more than 17,000 healthcare workers were vaccinated last week, adding that the province was happy that an additional 11 million Johnson & Johnson vaccines were implemented in the second quarter of the year.
“The mood on the floor [and] the feeling I have is that people have gone beyond their reluctance and doubts about vaccines. People really want the vaccine because [they] work and save lives. “
