Why are the Johnson & Johnson vaccines being delayed?

Mhe Malan, director of the Bhekisisa Health Journalism Center, says the health ministry has no specific date when the J&J vaccine will be available.

South Africa is the most affected country in Africa in terms of the number of people infected with COVID-19, with nearly 2.3 million infections recorded, of which 67,080 are fatal.

Mhe Malan, director of the Bhekisisa Health Journalism Center, says that although the Ministry of Health has received 1.5 million doses of vaccine so far, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccines are behind schedule as they have recently been investigated for infection.

Delaying J&J doses is interrupting the speed with which the government would like to move, because if we had doses right now, many more people would be vaccinated, even though we have made progress.

Mia Malan, Director – See the Center for Health Journalism

RELATED: COVID-19: South Africa records 7,209 new cases and 221 deaths

Malan says that in terms of delaying J & J vaccines, South Africa cannot be compared to other countries like Canada, as they have many other vaccines to rely on, unlike us, which rely only on Pfizer vaccines.

The impact of lack of doses is far worse than in other countries with good resources.

Mia Malan, Director – See the Center for Health Journalism

Malan went on to explain that the country should not panic as J&J vaccines are delayed as batches of Pfizer vaccines are delivered to the country weekly.

Yesterday I spoke with the Ministry of Health, they said that the J&J vaccines will be here every day, although they do not have specific dates.

Mia Malan, Director – See the Center for Health Journalism

Listen to the whole interview …


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