Johannesburg (AFP)
South Africa received a second delivery of Johnson & Johnson vaccines against Covid-19 on Saturday, South African Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said, as the country worst affected by the virus in Africa strives to speed up its vaccination campaign.
Mr Mkhize tweeted that the second shipment of Johnson & Johnson vaccines had landed at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
Some 80,000 vaccines arrived from Brussels via a South African Airways flight, according to local media.
"This happens when the majority of the initial doses received two weeks ago were administered to health workers," said the minister.
According to the ministry, more than 63,600 public and private sector health workers have been vaccinated since the launch of the national vaccination campaign 11 days ago.
Still according to the Ministry of Health, vaccines are purchased in small installments "to minimize the stocks immobilized in Belgium or here in South Africa".
"We are opting for smaller and more frequent batches for South Africa," ministry spokesman Popo Maja told AFP, adding that 200,000 additional vaccines are expected by the end of March.
After health workers, it will be the turn of the elderly, teachers, minors, police, soldiers and civil servants to be vaccinated during the second phase of the campaign.
With 59 million people, South Africa has seen nearly 50,000 people succumb to the virus, and has been widely criticized for its slow vaccine supply as well as its lack of strategy.
South Africa plans to source from several manufacturers while continuing its campaign, as a deadly third wave looms as the winter season approaches from May.
The authorities plan to administer a vaccine to 40 million people, or two-thirds of the population, which would achieve a level of collective immunity.
© 2021 AFP