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Mining Weekly reports that the mining industry has vaccinated, or partially vaccinated, 203,007 employees and contractors in SA, which that is about 45% of the workforce. Of that total, 49% have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
The industry has set itself a target of achieving 80% vaccination by the middle of November this year. Some companies have already started reporting between 70% and 80% vaccination levels at some sites, with Minerals Council SA (MCSA) CEO Roger Baxter indicating on Thursday that the goal was “absolutely attainable”. Baxter drew specific attention to the leadership role played by organised labour, which had been critical in advocating for vaccinations among employees and supporting the company-based roll-out programmes. Involved organised labour include the Association of Construction and Mineworkers Union (AMCU), the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Solidarity and UASA. “Union leadership has played a highly constructive role, with many union leaders visiting vaccination sites, getting vaccinated, and also sharing their personal experiences of Covid-19 and vaccinations,” Baxter said. To date, 52 workplace sites have been registered under the Department of Health’s workplace vaccination programme, with many more outreach and temporary facilities operating. Meanwhile, companies have started to vaccinate employees’ dependants and community members, either at company sites or by supporting neighbouring facilities. The industry has lost 690 lives to the Covid-19 pandemic, which gives it a fatality rate of about 1.3%.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Mining Weekly
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