Residents in the Western Cape are being urged to use the Red Dot Taxis to transport them to vaccination sites.

Public Works and Transport MEC Daylin Mitchell said the Red Dot Taxis launched in May were available to those unable to get to the vaccination sites, including those who could not afford it or did not have access to public transport.

The Red Dot was initiated by Mitchell’s department in response to the provincial health’s Covid-19 strategy to specifically respond to the transport gaps resulting from the ongoing pandemic.

Mitchell said the vaccine service was initially only limited to healthcare workers and the elderly in rural areas, but was being provided to those eligible for the vaccine in all areas of the Western Cape, including those 35 years and older.

He said this was his department’s effort to assist in containing the spread of Covid-19 as the province is still in the peak of its third wave.

As of 30 July, a total of 5 274 passengers were transported to venues via Red Dot taxis.

Here’s how it works:

The provincial health department identifies those in need of transport via its on-the-ground local community liaison officers and they are then transported by the Red Dot Taxi service.

The health department prioritises the elderly and those with special needs.

The Red Dot Taxi fleet is split into different service components which include:

The vaccine service for eligible persons

Transportation to quarantine and isolation facilities

Discharged hospital patients and regular transportation of healthcare workers to and from the Brackengate Covid-19 field hospital.

At 1pm on 18 August 2021, the Western Cape had 40 860 active Covid-19 infections, with a total number 458 710 cases to date and 400 855 recoveries.

African News Agency