Following criticism for the slow pace of the vaccination campaign, the South African government has set up drive-through vaccinations centres to allow for faster, easy and safe services.

The country which recently expanded the campaign to cover people over the age of 60, has now introduced the drive-through system which citizens agree fosters the sense of safety while being inoculated.

 Sithiba Matheza, a primary health care worker told reporters that vaccinating people in their cars allowed them to “feel free and feel safe”.

“We know that with COVID-19 people are afraid to go to facilities because in a facility we mix with everyone, so here we are saying feel free, feel safe in your car, just drive through and get vaccinated,” she said.

At one centre in Kempton Park, east of Johannesburg, people only have to book a slot online or over the phone and then drive in for their vaccine shots.

South Africa has logged over 1.6 million cases of the virus and more than 55,000 fatalities, making it the hardest-hit country in Africa.