Covid19: Over 18s Next to Get Vaccinated, Starting 1 September
- South Africa's youth population is next on the list to get their coronavirus vaccinations, starting this coming September
- President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday while addressing the nation that the country had secured 31 million vaccines
- As of Sunday, it has been recorded that 6.3 million people have been vaccinated so far, which accounts for 10% of the population
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South Africa's coronavirus vaccination programme is well underway after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that 18 to 34-year-olds are next on the list to get the jab.
Speaking on Sunday while addressing the nation, Ramaphosa stated that starting on 1 September, individuals 18 and above will be eligible to get vaccinated, according to News24.
Unlike previous age groups, they do not have to register prior to getting their Covid-19 vaccines administered.
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“We are now able to allow people to present themselves at a vaccination site without an appointment and be registered and vaccinated,” Ramaphosa said.
Ramaphosa highlighted that South Africa has made great progress in the number of vaccines being administered a day. In previous weeks, the country was averaging 100 000 Covid-19 vaccinations. In the past week, there was a rise in the number of vaccinations with around 240 000 people being vaccinated, according to The Good Guy Things.
On Sunday, it was recorded that 10% of the South African population has been vaccinated with 6.3 million people having received their jab.
Source: Getty Images
Ramaphosa added that South Africa has been able to acquire even more vaccines; in the next few months the country will have access to 31 million Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson doses.
Ramaphosa further stated that South Africa has been able to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to begin vaccine production for the African continent.
Pfizer and BioNTech strike a deal, 100 million vaccines to be produced in SA
Briefly News previously reported that BioNTech and Pfizer, two of the world's largest vaccine companies, said on Wednesday that they had secured a South African partner to manufacture the Covid-19 vaccine locally. This agreement makes it the first of its kind on the African continent.
Biovac Institute will manufacture the Covid-19 vaccine at their plant in Cape Town, according to Fin24. Biovac previously collaborated with Pfizer on the Prevnar 13 vaccine and will manufacture and distribute vaccines to Pfizer and BioNTech's global supply chain.
Getting the project off the ground would take time with the first African manufactured vaccines not being expected until 2022, according to eNCA.
Biovac is expected to manufacture more than 100 million doses per year once it is up and operating. The vaccines will be distributed to 55 countries under the African Union.
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Source: Briefly News
