We highlight and give a brief breakdown of some of the COVID-19 Vaccines the Ministry of Health is considering as part of its Rollout Strategy as calls for the government to procure a vaccine mount.
The calls come amid a surge in infection and fatality numbers in the country.
Frontline healthcare workers and the most vulnerable are to receive the vaccine first.
The first doses of vaccine in terms of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) COVAX facility had only been expected to be available in South Africa by around April.
South Africa is exploring the following COVID-19 vaccines:
Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has acknowledged that herd immunity via a vaccine is the only way to beat the virus. The Minister says the vaccine rollout is urgent.
“We want to assure the public that we are very mindful of the urgency, particularly as we feel the impact of the second wave that we are currently experiencing now. So everywhere you go, everyone can feel the pressure, I think all of us have a sense of personal anxiety where we now wish to know at which we can say we are safe from this kind of pandemic.”
