This is part of 80,000 Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine jabs to be administered to 17 sites across mzansi, where frontlineworkers (first health) will be inoculated.
President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa who had his live jab in Khayelitsha, Cape Town on Wednesday, said batch had already been approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).
“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,” said Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa, along with health minister Dr Zweleni Mkhize, and his deputy Dr Joe Phaahla were joined in the inoculation by healthworkers, and other representatives from SAHPRA.
Here is the list of other sites:
- Gauteng: Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital and Steve Biko Academic Hospital
- KwaZulu-Natal: Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital and Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital
- Western Cape: Groote Schuur Hospital, Tygerberg Hospital and Khayelitsha District Hospital
- Eastern Cape: Livingston Hospital and Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital
- Free State: Universitas Hospital and Pelonomi Hospital
- North West: Klerksdorp-Tshepong Tertiary Hospital and Job Shimankana Tabane Provincial Hospital
- Mpumalanga: Rob Ferreira Hospital and Witbank Provincial Hospital
- Limpopo: Polokwane Hospital and Mankweng Hosptial
- Northern Cape: Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital
Although there’s still apathy towards the vaccination especially from local general practitioners questioning the consequence of ‘side effects’ and alluding its only a ‘clinical test not yet approved’, some believe this is a right thing to do in saving lives.
Premier of Gauteng David Makhura, who preferred to join the queue said “our frontline workers are the ones who must be in the frontline as they look after us.
“This is their day, as we roll out the vaccination throughout the province,” he said accompanied by MEC for health and other officials in Government.
Image (Pres Cyril Ramaphosa took his public jab in Khayelitsha, Cape Town).
