Johannesburg – President Cyril Ramaphosa will receive the first batch of vaccines from Mumbai on Monday afternoon before it’s transported to a cold-room for technical processing and quality assurance in Johannesburg.
The president will be joined by Deputy President David Mabuza, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize and the High Commissioner of India.
Health workers will be the first ones to receive the double jab.
“The arrival of the fist consignment at OR Tambo International Airport marks the start of the vaccine roll-out, which President Ramaphosa describes as the largest and most complex logistical vaccine undertaking in South Africa’s history,” said the Presdidency’s acting spokesperson Tyrone Seale.
Three weeks following Health Minister Zweli Mkhize’s announcement of the procurement of Covid-19vaccines for South Africa, the first one million doses are on their way.
The vaccine was developed by British-Swedish biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, working with the University of Oxford.
Its emergency use was approved in December following trials showing that it was safe and up to 90% effective in preventing infection from the virus.
South Africa has secured one million doses this month and 500,000 other are expected in February.
