President Cyril Ramaphosa, Health Minister Dr. Zweli Mkhize and Deputy Minister Dr. Joe Phaahla, as well as healthcare workers, were vaccinated against Covid-19 this afternoon at the Khayelitsha District Hospital.
President Ramaphosa says this was to demonstrate confidence in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine that arrived in the country last night. This is also to help allay fears that people may have concerning the vaccine.
Nurse Zoliswa Gidi-Dyosi wasthe first healthcare worker in South Africa to receive the vaccine.
The first 80 000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine arrived at OR Tambo International Airport last night. The first consignment was dispatched to 17 sites across the country, to administer to health care workers as part of the initial implementation study.
500 000 doses are expected to arrive over the next few weeks. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says this will be supplemented by another 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine that is expected to be received at the end of March.
The government has been able to secure 9 million J&J vaccines, which will be rolled out through the course of the year.
South Africa's first healthcare worker has been vaccinated against #COVID19 #VaccineRolloutSA #IChooseVacciNation pic.twitter.com/NZ0U9blpjo
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) February 17, 2021
The President and Minister of Health’s #Covid19 vaccine dose is prepared by healthcare workers. #VaccineRolloutSA #IChooseVacciNation pic.twitter.com/0yAtF1fInv
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) February 17, 2021
#WeChooseVaccination https://t.co/hOzeslWX7H
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) February 17, 2021
