South Africa received its first shipment of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine, the country’s health minister announced on Tuesday, placing it on target to become the world’s first to administer the fire.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said on Twitter that South Africa had delivered a total of 9 million doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the first delivery containing 80,000 photos.
Vaccinations are set to begin this week, he added.
About the vaccine: Developed by the vaccine division of Janssen, Johnson & Johnson in Belgium, the single-dose vaccine has been shown to be effective in preventing moderate to severe coronavirus disease in South Africa.
AstraZeneca vaccine: South Africa has said it intends to share 1 million unwanted doses of AstraZeneca vaccine with other countries in the African Union, after early data suggested it offered only “minimal protection” against mild to moderate infections in the South African version.