Risk of death rather than mortality rates should be the criteria that secures priority vaccination argues the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA). The organisation has made a plea to the Department of Health to include quadriplegics and paraplegics in the second round of the vaccine roll out. The organisations hopes this will prevent deaths among its members and ensure no one is left behind.

“Many quadriplegics and paraplegics are at a higher risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus,” explains Raven Benny, QASA COO. “By pushing their wheelchairs, catheterising or accepting assistance from their carer, they are placed in high-risk situations.

“For most, social distancing from their caregiver, family or friends are impossible as they need assistance with daily, essential activities. A vaccination might not prevent them from contracting the Coronavirus, but it can prevent a visit to the hospital.”

Many quadriplegics and paraplegics are at an increased risk of falling severely ill and hospitalisation when contracting COVID-19. Due to lifestyle factors, like a sedentary routine, many in the community have co-morbidities like diabetes or high blood pressure. In addition, pressure sores (an open wound) and urinary tract infections are common and put strain on an already compromised immune system.

Aside from the impact on limbs, a spinal cord injury plays havoc on the immune systems and nervous systems of quadriplegics and paraplegics. The immune system is slowed, which gives the virus more opportunity to spread.

“We want to keep our members out of hospital as we are very much aware that, unfortunately, they are not always considered a priority,” Benny continues. “In times of disaster, doctors will do what is best for the most, which might mean denying a high-risk patient access to a ventilator to help others.

“We respect the medical practices that prioritise saving as many people as possible. Instead, we are calling on the Department of Health to save lives. They have the resources to make sure our members are never placed in a situation where a doctor needs to decide between saving them and another with a strong immune system. We need to be vaccinated.”

QASA wrote to the Department twice. After the first letter, the Department enquired about the mortality rate among members. Aside from the limited information available regarding deaths, QASA argues that there is sufficient reasons to vaccinate the community. 

“Are we going to be denied because there haven’t been enough deaths? How many should die before we are considered vulnerable? We call on the Department of Health to put risk of death as the highest priority rather than existing mortality rates,” says Benny. 

“Afterall, are they in the business of saving lives or counting corpses?” he concludes.  

-- ENDS --

Notes for the Editor:

For more questions, concerns or comments: 

Raven Benny, QASA COO
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
031 767 0352

Mariska Morris, Communications officer
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. OR This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
084 788 8399

Read more on the vulnerability of quadriplegics and paraplegics:
Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, 2021. Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. [Online] Available at: https://www.christopherreeve.org/living-with-paralysis/health/secondary-conditions/covid-19-and-spinal-cord-injury[Accessed 21 April 2021].
Calvo, E. et al., 2020. Why Does COVID-19 Affect Patients with Spinal Cord Injury Milder? A Case-Control Study: Results from Two Observational Cohorts. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 10(182).Louw, G., 2020.
Choice. A matter of ethics.. Rolling Inspiration, Issue 3, pp. 24-26.Stillman, M. D. et al., 2020.
COVID-19 and spinal cord injury and disease: results of an international survey. Spinal Cord Series and Cases, 6(21).

GAUTENG, PRETORIA - 10th MAY 2016 - On Sunday, 8th May, Jeep Team’s OCR athletes – Thomas van Tonder, Jay Jay Deysel, Joshua Masudi, Hlubi Mboya and Carina Marx, joined forces to run for those who can’t in the 2016 Wings for Life World Run, where 100% of race proceeds go towards research into finding a cure for spinal cord injury.

Wings for Life World Run events took place in 33 countries across 6 continents and 12 time zones, with 34 official locations, including Pretoria in South Africa. Athletes of all abilities - elite, social and paraplegic - across the globe started at precisely the same time - 11am UTC on May 8, 2016. 

This year saw an unprecedented number of registered participants - 130,732 across the 34 official locations, stepping up to run for those who can’t, helping to raise a staggering €6.6 million (Euros) for spinal cord injury research.

There is no finish line at the Wings for Life World Run. It’s the only race in the world where the finish line catches you. Athletes at each location are chased by a Catcher Car, which takes off 30 minutes after the start, driving at exactly 15km/h for the first hour. This speed increases to 16km/h for the second hour, 17km/h for the third hour, and then 20km/h for the fourth and fifth hour, increasing to a fast 35km/h to chase down the leading runners. In Pretoria, the Jeep OCR Team ran 28.5km in 2h18m06 before they were caught by the Catcher Car.

Said Jay Jay Deysel, “During the race, we met Saskia Schulze, a wheelchair athlete. She needed some assistance to help her beat her 2015 distance of 21.9km. Jeep Team worked with her to run/push her to 28.5km. She was the leading lady in a wheelchair and took the win!

Helping Saskia was an awesome experience as this is what Wings for Life is all about – running for those who can’t due to spinal cord injuries. Saskia was the perfect motivation and we pushed hard to reach her and our goal. Next year we’re all planning to run together again.”

Worldwide, the Wings for Life 2016 Men’s’ race was won by Giorgio Calcaterra in Milano, Italy, who managed to run 88.44km before being caught. In Japan, Kaori Yoshida won the Women’s race worldwide, reaching 65.71km.

Frenchman, Thibault Barinian, won the South African Men’s race, reaching 62.51km, with Onneile Dintwe winning the Women’s race at 52.71km.

TOP 3 WINNERS WORLDWIDE

Men

1. Giorgio Calcaterra (ITA) / Italy 88.44 km
2. Bartosz Olszewski (POL) / Canada 82.42km
3. Francisco Morales (CHI) / Chile 75.47km

Women

1. Kaori Yoshida (JPN) / Japan 65.71 km
2. Karin Freitag (AUT) / Germany 59.08km
3. Vera Nunes (POR) / Portugal 58.86km

To find out more, go to http://live.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/en.

Other Jeep Team results…

Multisport

In the North West, Jeep Team’s Multisport Junior athlete, <strong>Mikaela Jonsson</strong>, competed in the MiWay Sun City Ultra Triathlon, which took place on 8 May at Sun City.

Racing in the Sprint event (600m swim, 20km cycle, 5km run), and up against a field of over 1 000 athletes, Jonsson managed to finish in an impressive 6th overall and 3rd in her age group (18 – 24) in 1h23m40.

Maude Elaine Le Roux won the Women’s Sprint event in 1h17m10, followed by Lauren Dance in 2nd (1h20m16) and Natalie Ross 3rd in 1h20m31.

Said Jonsson, “It was an absolutely insane race with over 1000 athletes just in my event! Really happy with my swim. I managed to come out the water 3rd overall. Need to work on my bike, especially in the non-drafting format seen at this event.”

#JeepTeamSA

Editors’ Notes 

For more information please contact Bronwen Blunden on 079 060 1905 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..