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There will be no disruptions in COVID-19 distribution: Health DG

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Director-General in the Department of Health, Sandile Buthelezi, says his department is committed to ensuring that once the coronavirus vaccines are being rolled out, there will not be any disruptions to the distribution.

One million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in South Africa on Monday, marking a crucial milestone in the country’s fight against the pandemic.

Buthelezi says the Department of Health is negotiating with different vaccine companies in order to make sure that all South Africans will be inoculated.

He says, “Once we start there is no time where we are going to run out of vaccines, we are very comfortable now as the President mentioned that the COVAX facility has committed to give us the vaccines so once we start, there won’t be a break…”

“We have done a demand and supply for the whole year. We will be getting vaccines coming in each month with different vaccines and we are still negotiating for more. So that at no given point in time we are going to run out of the vaccines,” added Buthelezi.

President Ramaphosa receives COVID-19 vaccines from India:

Security tightened at COVID-19 storage facilities

Biopharmaceutical company Biovac says security has been stepped up at its facility where COVID-19 vaccines are stored before distribution.

The company, which is a public-private partnership between the government and the Biovac Consortium has been appointed to provide storage and distribution services for the vaccines for three months.

South Africa’s first consignment of vaccines arrived at OR Tambo International Airport on Monday.

Biovac CEO Dr Morena Makhoana says it’s necessary to enhance security.

“Security is clearly uppermost in the minds of many South Africans and it’s something that we have also heightened. So under normal circumstances, our cold rooms are under security watch, we have cameras and security in our premises – but this [time] security has been enhanced.”

“So, we have lifted it up ourselves through private security companies. Government has also stepped up and provided through the security cluster – additional security at our premises,” adds Makhoana.

In the video below, Biovac CEO Dr Morena Makhoana says the extra security is warranted:

 

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