Registration for the Covid-19 vaccine is now open to South Africans aged 60 years and over.

Citizens can register online via the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) as the country prepares for the second phase of the vaccination programme.

The EVDS was previously limited to the registration of frontline healthcare workers only, as part of the country’s first phase of the vaccination rollout.

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said the launch of the EVDS marked a significant milestone, not only for the country’s vaccination campaign, but for South Africa’s advancement towards Universal Health Coverage.

“This is the first time in our democratic history that a major public health campaign will be supported by one digital system for all South Africans. This is in line with the ninth pillar of the Presidential Health Compact, which commits to strengthening the health system by developing an information system that will guide health policies, strategies and investments,” he said.

He said the EVDS was a representation of the future of health care in South Africa, under the National Health Insurance.

Eligible South Africans must have their ID documents and/or medical aid information handy when registering online. Non-citizens can use a foreign passport or an asylum seeking or refugee number as an ID.

Mkhize stressed that South Africans ensure that their contact numbers and residential addresses are correct on the system, as these will be used to communicate important information on the vaccination programme, as well as where and when eligible citizens are vaccinated.

“I want to reassure South Africans that we do have a plan to ensure that everyone is registered and we want as many people as possible to be registered before going to be vaccinated: this will save a lot of time and will also help us to allocate vaccinations to respective areas appropriately,” he stressed.

He also assured South Africans that the quality of services will be the same for everyone and highlighted that President Cyril Ramaphosa, health care workers and now ordinary South Africans, will all have access to the vaccines by enlisting through the same system.

He said there will be no distinction between private and State health care users, with the exception that private health care users will input their medical aid details.

Mkhize notes that the system would assign a vaccination site closest to citizens’ homes or work – not based on whether a particular site is a public or private facility.

A WhatsApp service will also be launched to allow South Africans to register via the social media app and government will announce this service once it goes live.

If eligible citizens are unable to register by these methods they can still register at their nearest vaccination centres with their IDs and/or medical aid cards. Those 60 years or older could also be vaccinated on the spot at these centres.

Government will also send out teams to help vulnerable citizens who don’t have access to digital technology, such as the homeless and those who live in deep rural areas.

“Finally, we urge all those who are technological savvy to assist our senior citizens to register. Please help your mother, your father, your grandmother, your grandfather or your friend who is 60 years or older to register so they can get vaccinated. We can all guide each other and look after each other to get through this unprecedented crisis,” Mkhize said.

Those who are eligible can register here: vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za