Against the rumoured fourth wave, over 14 million South Africans are confirmed to be fully vaccinated against covid-19. President Cyril Ramaphosa has also urged South Africans to get vaccinated during his address on Sunday.

“The first, the most powerful, tool we have is vaccination. Since the first Covid-19 vaccines became available late last year, we have seen how vaccines have dramatically reduced severe illness, hospitalization, and death in South Africa and across the world. Vaccines do work. Vaccines are saving lives.“

The exact number was 14 166 407, which accounts for 35,6% of the population.

South Africa has an adult population of just about 39,8 million.

Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal have recorded the least number of vaccines administered. They have the highest populations.

In Gauteng, where infections are soaring, only 3,5 million out of 11,3 million have opted to get the vaccine.

In KZN, only 2,2 million out of 7,2 million have been fully inoculated.

This is also the case for the age category 18-34, where the population is 17,8 million, with only 3,8 million having been vaccinated.

Over 400 000 teenagers between the age category of 12-17 have been vaccinated since it opened a little over a month ago.

President Ramaphosa said: “Vaccination is by far the most important way to protect yourself and those around you against the Omicron variant, to reduce the impact of the fourth wave and to help restore the social freedoms we all yearn for.”