Johnson and Johnson vaccine may be the way forward for SA
Updated | By Andrew Robertson
South Africa's suspended the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine to healthcare workers - but our Health Committee says it's not all doom and gloom.
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Professor Glenda Gray says while the jab falls short of the country's hopes of providing adequate protection against the new virus variant - the Johnson and Johnson SARS-Cov-2 vaccine trial yielded some positive results.
Gray says studies into the single-dose regimen show efficacy against the new variant.
Over 44 000 people from South Africa, the US and Latin America took part in the trial. 15% of them were from our country.
Gray says it targeted the elderly and those with co-morbidities. "So, how soon can we use this vaccine in South Africa.
NOW READ: Health experts: COVID-19 vaccine won't be active against new variant
"What are the next steps? We are in advanced discussions to further evaluate the single-shot COVID vaccine in South Africa in an accelerated fashion in the next few days."
She says sampled data show high efficacy against severe COVID-19, including this variant, especially in regard to hospitalisation and death.
"Over the next few days, we expect to announce a plan to expedite vaccinations using the investigational product in healthcare workers in South Africa."
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