S.Africa risks destroying 100,000 vaccine doses by end-March due to slow uptake

Johannesburg, March 4 (BNA) South African health authorities said on Friday that about 100,000 doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine are at risk of being destroyed by the end of this month due to the slow absorption of citizens.

According to Reuters, South Africa has recorded the largest number of infections and deaths from the Corona virus on the African continent, but vaccinations have slowed and it has an ample stock of vaccines of about 25 million doses.

“There is a risk that just over 100,000 doses will expire by the end of March… they may be phased out. It will be a sad day if large amounts of doses are eventually phased out. Hopefully that will not happen,” Health Minister Jo Bhalla said. In an online press conference, “I got to that point.”

He said the department was trying to ramp up vaccinations to keep vaccine doses from being thrown away. South Africa has so far vaccinated about 43% of its 40 million adults.

The vaccination campaign in South Africa, using Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) (J&J) and Pfizer vaccines, got off to a slow start due to difficulties securing early supplies, but has recently been met with indecision. Last month, the country changed its COVID-19 vaccination rules in an effort to encourage more people to get vaccinated.

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