UNATHI NKANJENI
The arrival of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine in SA has been welcomed by many online.
The first delivery of 80,000 J&J vaccines arrived on Tuesday at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and has been approved by the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra).
Health minister Zweli Mkhize told parliament that the vaccine has a 57% efficacy against the 501Y.V2 variant and is fully protective against serious illness or death.
The first batch of the J&J #COVID19 vaccine arrived at @ortambo_int last night. Frontline healthcare workers will be vaccinated during first phase of the #VaccineRolloutSA #VaccineforSouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/Eqfh3CcWy1
— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) February 17, 2021
South Africa has received the first delivery of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine last night at the OR Tambo International Airport. The vaccine has been approved by South African Health Products Authority. #VaccineRollout #COVID19SA pic.twitter.com/2fSYEccClV
— Department of Employment and Labour (@deptoflabour) February 17, 2021
Mkhize said an additional 500,000 doses are expected to arrive over the next four weeks, supplemented by 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine expected to be received at the end of March.
“We have identified 20 vaccination centres in all nine provinces to vaccinate 80,000 health workers over the next two weeks. A total of 164 vaccinators will vaccinate approximately 48 clients a day, or about six to seven clients an hour.
“As more doses arrive, the service will be ramped up accordingly to ensure we maintain a good rate of daily vaccinations,” said Mkhize.
TimesLIVE reported that health-care workers are set to be jabbed on Wednesday afternoon.
The Eastern Cape health department confirmed its doses would arrive on Wednesday.
“We are ready,” said acting superintendent-general Dr Sibongile Zungu.
“We will give the vaccine to health-care workers first because they have bravely been at the forefront in the fight against this invisible enemy since the first case of Covid-19 was reported.”
In the Western Cape, the first jabs will be administered from 2pm.
On social media, Tuesday was dubbed as “vaccine day” as many welcomed the arrival and the rollout.
Here is a snapshot of what was said:
It gives me great pleasure to announce that the first batch of 80 000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is being prepared for distribution across South Africa with immediate effect. pic.twitter.com/ztTUH6UGH8
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 #StaySafe (@CyrilRamaphosa) February 17, 2021
We are pleased that we are able to begin vaccination by mid-February, as we had announced. This is despite the fact that the AstraZeneca vaccine that we had procured for this purpose showed little efficacy against the 501Y.V2 variant that is currently dominant in South Africa.
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 #StaySafe (@CyrilRamaphosa) February 17, 2021
Happy to hear that the first batch of J&J vaccines would be administered today through out South Africa….
— Orion Governance Africa (@AfricaOrion) February 17, 2021
HAPPY VACCINE DAY, SOUTH AFRICA!!!!
— Gabriella (@Jablet) February 17, 2021
Great day for South Africa – the first batch of vaccines arrive today. May the vaccination programme help to get the beautiful country protected and international tourism up and running again. https://t.co/g6Bo3fuavS
— Dr Samantha Brooks (@DrSjBrooks) February 17, 2021
Happy V-Day to the frontline healthcare workers of South Africa who are going to get their J&J vaccines today. And it will be a happy day for all when we have a #PeoplesVaccine !
— Peter van Heusden (@pvanheus) February 17, 2021
