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If you’re a vegan and you’re vaccinated, which do you tell people first?

What if you also do CrossFit?

Those who have been vaccinated in South Africa would have received a vaccination certificate. Mine is a rather awkward size, and even if I folded it in half it would still jut out of my wallet.

With the government rolling out new incentives to encourage South Africans to get vaccinated, like entry to sporting events and live music performances, proving that you’re fully vaccinated will become more important.

In addition, a system needs to be developed that is fraud-proof.

Dr Joe Phaahla, our minister of health, said that by the end of next week, all vaccinated South Africans will be eligible for a digital vaccination certificate.

More from TimesLIVE on Phaahla’s statement this morning:

“We have commenced with the development of the digital vaccination certificate which will be protected from fraud.”

He said the new certificates will be uploadable on a smartphone and will be printable too.

“This is in line with the World Health Organisation’s initiative to attempt to standardise vaccination proof all over the world,” he said, “and in a matter of a week this should be available to those who are vaccinated in South Africa.”

Once the certificate is available it will be so for “anyone who has been fully vaccinated, as long as their details appear in the EVDS [Electronic Vaccination Data System’],” he explained.

Phaahla stressed that the certificate would not be used to deny unvaccinated citizens access to public services or healthcare.

If you want to go watch live sport, or your favourite band, or travel abroad, that’s where the certificate would come in.

In other words, before anybody makes the commonly used and utterly ridiculous comparison, this is not at all like Apartheid or Nazi Germany.

Vaccination cards have been used for decades to facilitate international travel, with certain countries requiring that you show proof of being vaccinated against yellow fever, for example.

During the media briefing, Phaahla noted that South Africa is “steadily getting out of the grip of this third wave”.

A drop to alert level 2 now seems imminent, with News24 reporting earlier in the week that President Ramaphosa met with the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) and the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC) on Tuesday.

Amendments may well include adjusted curfew hours from 11PM to 4AM, which means you now have to hang around an extra hour at dinners and braais:

Among the recommendations, News24 has reliably been informed, are that the number of people at gatherings be increased from 50 to 100 indoors and 250 outdoors, including sporting events.

Offsite alcohol sales would also be allowed from Monday to Friday until 18:00 and on-site until 22:00.

We are so close to kissing that panicked Thursday afternoon booze run goodbye.

Now we wait for the 8PM address.

[sources:timeslive&news24]