SA Government
President Cyril Ramaphosa says the first batch of 80 000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine is being prepared for distribution across South Africa with immediate effect.
The President says in a statement that as this batch has already been approved by the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority under the Sisonke protocol, these vaccines will be rapidly dispatched to all provinces.
The first vaccination was scheduled for the Khayelitsha District Hospital in Cape Town at 12-noon on Wednesday.
The Presidency says it is expected that most vaccination centres will be ready immediately to begin the vaccination programme.
President Ramaphosa said the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been shown in extensive trials to be safe and efficacious and will protect South Africa’s health care workers from illness and death from COVID-19.
The President said that to demonstrate his confidence in this vaccine and help allay any fears that people may have, he and Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, will join the first health care workers to receive the vaccine in Khayelitsha.
