|
ˇ@ President Cyril
Ramaphosa said he was pleased with the start of the COVID-19 vaccination
programme, which started in Khayelitsha in the Western Cape, on Wednesday,
17 February 2021.
ˇ§To
demonstrate our confidence in this vaccine and help allay any fears that
people may have, the Minister of Health and I will join the first healthcare
workers to receive the vaccine in Khayelitsha,ˇ¨ he said ahead of the
programme.
President Ramaphosa and Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, witnessed the
first healthcare workers receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The vaccine, which has been approved by the South African Health Products
Authority, arrived at the OR Tambo International Airport in Gauteng on
Tuesday night.
The first batch of 80 000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is being
prepared for distribution across South Africa with immediate effect.
President Ramaphosa on Wednesday said he was pleased that the country was
able to begin vaccination by mid-February, as announced.
ˇ§This is despite the fact that the AstraZeneca vaccine that we had procured
for this purpose showed little efficacy against the 501Y.V2 variant, which
is currently dominant in South Africa.
ˇ§I would like to congratulate the Vaccine Inter-Ministerial Committee, the
Ministerial Advisory Committee on Vaccines, Minister of Health, Dr Zweli
Mkhize, and his team, and the Medical Research Council for responding so
rapidly and effectively to this challenge,ˇ¨ President Ramaphosa said.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been shown in extensive trials to be safe
and efficacious, and will protect healthcare workers from illness and death
from COVID-19.
ˇ§We have called on leaders in various sectors and parts of the country to
lead by example and get inoculated publicly. We will therefore witness some
premiers, MECs and leaders from civil society, religious formations and
traditional leadership being vaccinated in all provinces.
ˇ§We have chosen vaccination and we call on all South Africans to choose
vaccination and protect one another,ˇ¨ the President said.
ˇV Source: SAnews.gov.za |
