Dear UJ Community,
Since Cabinet’s announcement this past Friday that people who are 18 years and older are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination, there has been a marked excitement by young people expressing their eagerness to get vaccinated. In fact, many have not wasted time taking advantage of the opportunity, posting pictures of their confirmed vaccination dates after they registered on the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) system and other sites.
We urge our staff to emulate the enthusiasm shown by young people and also take advantage of the opportunities to receive the vaccination. The same goes for our students who may be hesitant, because contrary to misinformation and disinformation on social media platforms, COVID-19 vaccines have been proven to be safe and effective.
For our students and staff who have not yet vaccinated, our University has arrangements in place to assist them in receiving the COVID-19 jab. As from this week on Wednesday, 25 August 2021, as many as 100 University of Johannesburg (UJ) students and staff can get vaccinated a day at the Liberty Life vaccination site in Braamfontein. The Centre has been identified as the vaccination site for UJ and Wits University staff and students, as part of the government’s vaccination drive. UJ has secured dedicated spots for staff and students, and vaccination for you is scheduled between 14:00 and 16:00 daily.
With attention initially to our residence students, UJ will make buses available to ferry our students from their various campus residences, and Student Affairs will communicate logistics accordingly. For staff, shuttle services will be provided (if required) from all campuses and to Braamfontein. To assist us planning for the provision of transport, please register at least a day before the date on which you wish to get vaccinated.
Staff members going to the Liberty site are asked to also take a UJ staff card with to ensure that they are routed to the correct queue and helped accordingly. Staff who wish to use the shuttle services may register here to book. For those using their own transport, there is free, secure underground parking in the main Liberty parking garage in Melle Street, Braamfontein. This is below the corner of Ameshoff and Melle streets.
We also urge our students and staff who may not be able to make use of the Liberty Life site vaccination, to choose other available vaccination sites closer to their workplaces and homes.
If you cannot register via the EVDS system, you can book for your vaccination at any vaccination site across South Africa via https://sacoronavirus.co.za/active-vaccination-sites/.
Below are some useful steps to receive your COVID-19 vaccine:
- Register for the Covid-19 vaccine on the government’s EVDS system (https://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za/#/)
- Visit the confirmed vaccination site on the date and time of your booking.
- Take your EVDS SMS as proof of registration and your proof of identity (South African ID or passport) to the vaccination site. Alternatively,
- Walk-in to any vaccination site to register and vaccinate.
You can go to any vaccination site or sites close to UJ, such as the Liberty Life Vaccination site in Braamfontein and the Netcare Milpark Hospital.
As communicated on Friday, a cruel marker of the pandemic has been the sheer and often unabating grief we have had to weather. This week on Thursday, 26 August 2021, our University will hold a virtual memorial service to pay homage to our colleagues, friends and students who have passed away between September 2019 and this year. The memorial service will start at 10:00, and I invite you and your family to join this important event. Please log in 5-10 minutes before the event starts by clicking here.
Please inform us about your vaccinations status via the link: https://ulink.uj.ac.za/ujvac. Enter the information after your first vaccination, and where relevant, update it after your second vaccination. The survey takes less than one minute. We use the numbers (and not your personal details), to inform us on the vaccination statistics of the UJ community. The statistics will guide us in our response to the COVID-19 situation and the implementation of our re-integration plans. You may also use this link to notify our campus clinics if you have tested positive for COVID-19, or if you know of a colleague or a student who has tested positive.
The University leadership will continue to monitor the national and provincial COVID-19 outlook, and an update will be provided accordingly. This information may be verified by visiting: www.uj.ac.za/coronavirus. We appeal to you all to adhere to the recommended precautionary measures, hygiene and physical distancing at all the times.
Should any of you experience symptoms of the coronavirus, please use the National Hotline of 0800 029 999 or WhatsApp line 0600 123456 or go to the following link for more information: https://sacoronavirus.co.za/. Please also continue to check uLink. Please notify our campus clinics if you have tested positive for COVID-19, or if you know of a colleague or a student who has tested positive.
Issued by University Management
University of Johannesburg
Times mentioned in this newsletter refer to the South African time-zone.
