COVID-19 UPDATE BY CHARNDRÉ EMMA KIPPIE
A DOSE OF
good news PFIZER VACCINES HAVE LANDED IN SA!
T
he Pfizer-BioNTech jab has been one of several vaccine options submitted for approval in numerous countries, and has been a glimmer of hope for at the end of the ‘Covid Tunnel’. It has arrived! On 3 May, it was announced that the very first batch of Pfizer vaccines had arrived on South Arican soil. A much anticipated-event, more than 325,000 doses of the jab had finally landed at OR Tambo International Airport that Sunday night. In order to ensure that no vials were damaged or compromised, samples were immediately transported to the National Control Laboratory for quality assurance purposes. It has been forecasted that the country should receive a batch of vaccines, of the same quantity, on a weekly basis. It is estimated that a total of 1.3 million doses will be delivered by the end of May. Subsequently, the supply of Pfizer
vaccines is expected to go up in number quite significantly to more than 636,000 per week in June.
Centre for the Aids Programme of Research (Caprisa), as well as Janssen Pharmaceuticals - which is owned by Johnson & Johnson.
Restarting Phase 1 The celebrated arrival of these Pfizer vaccines comes after the restart of phase 1 (resumed on Wednesday 28 April) of South Africa’s rollout. Phase 1 predominantly focuses on making sure that all healthcare workers in the country get vaccinated as soon as possible. This has been a key focus of the Sisonke Mass Implementation study.
Together with these large entities, provincial health departments and researchers have been actively involved in the vaccination of 26 000 healthcare workers. The health department has set a target of completing 500 000 inoculations by the end of the Sisonke study. Government has, additionally, secured other vaccines which are set to arrive in the second quarter of the year.
We are confident that the final outcome will be positive The Sisonke study has been led by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), in collaboration with the national health department, Desmond Tutu Health Foundation,
22 | Public Sector Leaders | May 2021
Health Minister weighs in Health Minister Zweli Mkhize spoke in parliament on Wednesday prior to the arrival of the new vaccines, stating that the country was looking into obtaining a supplementary supply of vaccines, from both Russia and India. Minister Mkhize also indicated that plans have been set in place for the inoculation of 16.5
