2nd phase jab on par
South Africa is on track to begin the second phase of its Covid-19 vaccination. File photo
South Africa is on track to begin the second phase of its Covid-19 vaccination next month. This was announced by Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize during a visit to the Western Cape yesterday.
Mkhize inspected the readiness of the province for the second phase vaccine rollout.
“We will receive 31 million (jabs) from Johnson & Johnson, while 20 million will come from Pfizer,” he said.
“This means we can now move ahead with confidence as we finalise our plans for our mass rollout campaign.”
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine rollout was temporarily put on hold following a decision by the United States Food and Drug Administration and the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) to halt the rollout of the J&J vaccine in the USA after six women presented a rare blood clotting disorder.
“The single dose J&J vaccine protects against severe Covid-19 in South Africa,” said Mkhize.
“The J&J vaccine has been shown to be safe, with no safety concerns reported from past trials or rollouts.”
The minister said the Western Cape was on track: “I am impressed with the preparations and how everyone was included in the strategy including rural areas in the province.
“I must also say that there is no need for the province to have plans to procure its own vaccines, we have everything under control.”
On Friday, people 60 and older could start registering for their Covid-19 jabs.
Health MEC Dr Nomafrench Mbombo added: “We worked hard to prepare vaccination sites.”