​Qaqambile Mdledle
Noxolo Mapike, a 44-years old registered nurse at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital has described her vaccination experience as quick and painless.  
"From registration to the actual vaccination, the process was easier than I had expected, said Mapike, who was among the first group of healthcare workers to get vaccinated in the first phase of the Sisonke Vaccination Programme. 
After registration, Mapike received a text message that informed her she was in the database.  A few weeks later, she received another message with a date and time of her vaccination. 
"My experience was easy, getting COVID-19 vaccine was not different from getting a flu shot. I had only a little arm soreness but no other side effects," she said
"Being vaccinated against Covid-19 was important to me for many reasons. It is the first step in regaining control of my life and doing my part to help the country move on past the Coronavirus. As a wife, mother and nurse I have responsibilities to others around me to stay as safe and healthy as possible," she said. 
She said as a healthcare professional, it gives her a little more peace of mind working with patients every day, especially elderly patients. 
"This vaccine gives me the confidence, that I can go to work every day and provide for my family knowing that I'm not only protecting myself, but also everyone around me." 
Mapike said she was honoured and blessed to be among the first to receive the vaccine and hopes that her experience can help others, particularly those from marginalised communities that are often victims to health disparities.
"Being vaccinated is the only hope for us to regain some normality and not worry about getting sick."
She also encouraged the public to register: "It's important to keep in mind that when more people get vaccinated, it's the closer we are to getting population immunity," she added.