SA could once again acquire the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has proved effective against the Delta variant of the Covid-19 virus rapidly spreading through SA, deputy health minister Joe Phaahla told MPs Thursday night.
SA secured 1.5-million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in January, received 1-million in February and then sold them to the AU in March because it was found not to be effective against the Beta variant of the virus that was gripping the country at the time.
SA is currently relying on the Pfizer and the Johnson & Johnson vaccines for its vaccination programme while the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) reviews the Russian Sputnik vaccine and the Chinese Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines.
Phaahla, acting health minister Mmamoloko Kubayi and officials from the department of health briefed the parliamentary committee on health on the spread of Covid-19 throughout the country and the vaccination rollout under way.
“With the current information that it (AstraZeneca) is quite efficacious when it comes to the Delta variant, there will be no need to seek any further approval by the regulator,” he said
“It has already been registered. I hope that we will still be able to access further stock from AstraZeneca from the Serum Institute (of India). That will go a long way while we are looking at the other sources such as Sputnik, Sinovac and so on,” Phaahla said.
Vaccine exports from the Serum Institute, India’s largest vaccine manufacturer, were halted in March after a vaccine export ban by the Indian government as a devastating second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic took hold of the country.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.