The South African Health Products Authority (SAHPRA) has reiterated that people currently infected with COVID-19 cannot get a vaccine, saying the shot is only able to create antibodies after the person has recovered.
Over 7.5 million vaccinations have so far been administered nationwide.
SAHPRA’s Chairperson Professor Helen Rees says people must get informed about the vaccine.
“If you are nervous, go and talk to people. I know a lot of people are nervous. Go and speak to the nurses. You don’t have to vaccinate on day one, go and get more information. But please have the vaccine.”
Rees adds: “If you have symptoms of COVID-19 we don’t want to vaccinate you and you are actually infected with COVID-19. The importance is that if you do have symptoms at all, you must let the healthcare provider know and if you need to have a COVID-19 test they will advise you.”
South Africa has recorded 12 418 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24-hours, taking total infections to 2 447 454.
Three hundred and 34 deaths have been reported, bringing the total to 72 013 deaths.
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Meanwhile, Acting Health Minister Mamoloko Kubayi says the donation of 5.6 million doses of Pfizer vaccines from the US will go a long way in ramping up the vaccination programme in the country.
The first batch of the donation arrived on Saturday night at the OR Tambo International Airport.
The donation is part of the first 25 million doses the US will donate to Africa and comes after a bilateral meeting between US President Joe Biden and President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in June.
