AstraZeneca: South Africa suspends the start of its vaccination campaign

Una dosis de la vacuna de AstraZeneca en París, el 7 de febrero de 2021 ALAIN JOCARD AFP

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While the first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in the country last week, a local study involving 2,000 volunteers - but not yet published in a scientific journal - has just shown its lower effectiveness on the "501Y.V2" variant. discovered in the country.

The government therefore announced the revision of its vaccine strategy on Sunday evening, February 7.

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With our correspondent in Johannesburg,

Claire Bargelès

This study, carried out by the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and not yet peer-reviewed, shows reduced efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine for moderate forms of the disease caused by the local variant.

Disappointing results, while this variant concerns more than 90% of new infections in the country, according to the researchers.

The vaccine would only have an efficacy of 22% for the mild forms, without results being available for the moment for the severe forms.

This is a setback for the government, because it is for the moment the only vaccine to arrive in the country, and it should make it possible to vaccinate as a priority the nursing staff, within the next few days.

The Minister of Health has therefore suspended its use, and he now relies on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which shows much better clinical results against the variant.

The first doses, as well as doses of the Pfizer vaccine, are expected within four weeks.

As for the million doses of AstraZeneca that the country now has, the government is waiting for more indications from scientists, before making a decision on their use.

But it will be necessary to act quickly, because they will be out of date beyond April.

► Read also:

Covid-19: concern ever more pronounced about variants

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  • South Africa

  • Coronavirus

  • Health and medicine