Faizel Patel – 13/04/2021
Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize says South Africa would voluntarily and temporarily suspend the roll-out of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine following the announcement by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the temporary suspension of the use of the vaccine in the United States.
Earlier on Tuesday the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the Food and Drug Administration recommended that the country halt the use of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose COVID-19 vaccine after six reported cases where patients developed rare and severe blood clots.
In a statement, Mkhize says South Africa has not had any reports of clots that have formed having inoculated 289 787 health care workers under the Sisonke Protocol.
Mkhize says he held urgent consultations with scientists who have advised that South Africa cannot take the decision made by the FDA lightly.
“Based on their advise, we have determined to voluntarily suspend our rollout until the causal relationship between the development of clots and the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is sufficiently interrogated.”
Mkhize says the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) will collate information from Johnson and Johnson, the FDA and other regulatory bodies to make a thorough assessment of the
situation.
“I humbly call for calm and patience as we ensure that we continue to be properly guided by science in ensuring the safety of our people as we rollout the vaccine campaign.”
Mkhize says the the Health Department is confident that the rollout of Johnson and Johnson will resume.
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