Zweli Mkhize: Astrazeneca vaccines will be distributed by AU to other countries
Health Minister, Zweli Mkhize says the Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccines aren’t being sent back.
"The speculation in the media that we have returned the stock to India, we have not. AstraZeneca which have been purchased were offered to the African Union platform which we are part of," says Mkhize.
They will distribute to the countries that have already indicated interest. They do not have any challenges with this particular variant.
Mkhize was speaking in the National Assembly where the debate on last week’s State of the Nation Address is underway.
After the Astrazeneca vaccine arrived in the country, it was found not to be effective against the strain first detected here in South Africa.
READ: Johnson & Johnson vaccine to arrive in SA today - SAMA
Last week, the government announced it’s also procured the Johnson & Johnson jab.
Mkhize says 80 000 of the 9 million doses of that vaccine will be delivered this week.
The first batch will be delivered within the course of this week and the announcement will be made about the starting of the vaccination.
"We have also 500 000 doses, which are expected over the next four weeks and supplemented by those supplemented by another 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine that is expected to be received at the end of March."
He adds that they have secured enough doses to vaccinate all the people who will need to be vaccinated in South Africa.
