​Lerato Mailoane
Gauteng has reached a milestone of having administered more than 6 million COVID-19 vaccines as at Wednesday.
According to the Gauteng Department of Health, the number of vaccines administered stands at 6 058 345 vaccines, which means 3 076 767 people who are fully vaccinated, with either both doses of the Pfizer vaccine or a single JnJ vaccine. 
This milestone comes at the time when the province is working around the clock to inoculate the population.
The vaccination programme has seen pop-up mobile vaccination sites taken to retailers, shopping centres and workplaces to widen access to vaccines to as many people as possible. 
"The more people are vaccinated the better our chances of beating the anticipated fourth wave," said spokesperson Kwara Kekana.
Furthermore, the province has since 30 August 2021 embarked on an intense campaign targeting areas with low vaccine uptake in order to vaccinate as many people as possible. 
"Vaccination has been proven to be effective in minimising severe illness, hospitalisation and death in the event one contracts the coronavirus.
"All persons who are 12 years and older are invited to visit their nearest vaccination site to get vaccinated. The public is further reminded that those who received a two-dose vaccine need to return for the second dose at 42 days," she said.
All Gauteng sites both private and public accept walk-ins whether people are registered on the EVDS or not.
People are reminded to avoid risky behaviours such as unnecessary gatherings, among others, that can contribute to the resurgence of new COVID-19 infections. 
The public is also advised to continue to follow COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical prevention protocols which include, maintaining social distancing, wearing a facemask, washing hands with water and soap or using an alcohol-based hand sanitiser.