South Africa has received the first batch of Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine.
The government said the vaccine will be stored at a secure location in Gauteng province then distributed to other provinces. The country’s vaccination rollout is expected to begin soon.
The country had received AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine but halted vaccination after doubts over its efficacy against the variant in South Africa.
But the World Health Organization’s vaccine experts have said even countries who have the coronavirus mutation first discovered in South Africa should use the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) also recommends use of the vaccine.
