COVID-19: One million vaccines expected to arrive in SA today from India
South Africa is receiving its first batch of COVID-19 vaccines today. The country has been eagerly awaiting the arrival of 1 million doses of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca jab.
They are being flown into O R Tambo International, from the Serum Institute of India. The shots left Mumbai yesterday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa and Health Minister Zweli Mkhize will be at the airport at 3pm this afternoon, to witness the arrival of South Africa's first consignment of the jabs.
The Presidency says a team comprising health, customs and security personnel will make sure they're securely transported to their cold-room destination.
Quality checks could take up to 14 days. After that, frontline health workers will be the first to receive the vaccine - in phase one of the country's rollout programme.
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Meanwhile, healthcare workers' unions in KwaZulu Natal want more clarity on how the shots will be administered.
Thamsanqa Zondi is with Hospersa says there is no clear picture when the rollout will happen.
"We are still waiting for that clarity. If we are talking about health workers, who are you talking about? Are you talking about from the gate right to the cleaner?"
Nehawu's Ayanda Zulu says the programme needs to reach everyone.
"We note the strategy but now what is more important is to operationalise it so that we are able to reach all the healthcare workers in the public and private hospitals."
