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Health Dept working on convincing Aspen to keep COVID-19 vaccination plant open

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The Department of Health says it is working to convince pharmaceutical firm, Aspen Pharmacare, to keep its COVID-19 vaccination plant open, due to a possible demand in vaccine doses as South Africa anticipates a 5th wave of the pandemic.

The facility, in the Eastern Cape, was announced as Africa’s first COVID-19 vaccination plant to help supply vaccines to the continent.

An agreement was signed with Johnson & Johnson to produce an Aspen-branded vaccine, called Aspenovax.

However, Aspen Pharmacare recently warned that its plant could be forced to shut down after receiving zero orders.

Health Department’s Spokesperson is Foster Mohale says, “We believe that through the engagement with the Aspen authorities, we will be able to persuade them to reconsider their decision or delay implementing that decision towards the anticipated 5th wave, with the number of COVID-19 cases. We are working with the Aspen authorities so that this decision is not immediately implemented.”

What is government doing to keep SA-based COVID-19 vaccine plant operational?

On Thursday, South Africa recorded close to 10 000 new COVID-19 cases and seven deaths. Total cases since the pandemic outbreak now stands at well over 3.8 million.

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