South Africa launches COVID-19 vaccination certificate

South Africa on Friday launched the COVID-19 vaccination certificate which would enable those vaccinated to access benefits like the entrance to stadiums.

"We expect the certificate to be a tool to enable vaccinated people to access many opportunities which various service providers will make available," said Health Minister Joe Phaahla when officially launching the certificate.

Over the next two months, its safety features will be improved, according to the minister.

"Among others we expect sports and recreation to open up more for vaccinated people, shops to provide discounts and others to give prizes, entertainment like music festivals to start opening for vaccinated people with safety measures, travel and tourism to open more," he said.

"Our role as Health is to make the tools available for a gradual return to many activities we have been missing," he said.

According to the minister, about 33.4 per cent of the South African adult population have been vaccinated.

Phaahla said the figures show that there has been a decrease in COVID-19 cases in the last few weeks.

"The number of new infections has been dropping consistently in the last three weeks with 33 per cent drop in the last 7 days. There has been a 19.3 per cent decrease in hospitalization in the last 7 days. Even more encouraging is that there has been a 51 per cent decrease in reported deaths in the last seven days even though one death is one too many," he said. (ANI/Xinhua)

( With inputs from ANI )

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