Pfizer vaccine arrives at the OR Tambo Airport

The first batch of more than 325 000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine arrived at the OR Tambo Airport late on Sunday night. This will be followed by weekly deliveries of thousands of doses.

The first batch of Pfizer vaccines
have landed at OR Tambo International Airport. pic.twitter.com/eOlrWWBkfl

— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) May 3, 2021

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says close to 4.5 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine is expected in South Africa before the end of June as the country prepares to start Phase Two of its COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

Mkhize says market doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccines are expected to be released from pharmaceutical company, Aspen’s, plant in Gqeberha from the middle of this month.

He said the vaccination of healthcare workers will continue with both the Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines.

It is expected that more than 1.2 million healthcare workers will be vaccinated by May 16 with Phase Two of the programme initially targetting people 60 years and older starting on the 17th.

Western Cape

Western Cape health authorities are set to begin a vaccine registration drive for people over 60 this coming week as part of Phase Two of the roll-out plan.

Provincial Health Minister Nomefrench Mbombo will kickstart the campaign in Ryterwaght on Monday and in Durbanville on Tuesday.

The campaign comes after the Johnson and Johnson vaccination programme for healthcare workers was restarted last week following its suspension after 8 cases of rare blood clots were reported in the USA.

Fifty-six thousand healthcare workers have received the vaccine in the Western Cape so far and almost 319 000 in the whole country.

The province has recorded about 11600 coronavirus related deaths.

The Chairperson of  the South African Medical Association, Dr Angelique Coetzee, speaks about South Africa’s  roll out programme: