Covid19: South Africans Share Varying Views on Sahpra's Approval of the Johnson & Johnson Booster Shot

• South Africans who have already received the Johnson & Johnson Covid19 vaccine will be allowed to get the booster shot
• The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority has found that the booster jab is safe and effective
• South Africans on social media have shared a range of opinions on the booster shots with some people waiting for other vaccines to also be approved in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG - The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority has given the Johnson & Johnson booster shot the go-ahead to be administered in South Africa.

This decision comes after a trial was conducted primarily on healthcare workers as part of the Sisonke trial.

People who are 18 years and older will be eligible to receive the booster shot and it can only be administered two months after receiving the J&J Covid19 vaccine, according to News24.

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Sahpra says the efficacy and the safety data compiled on the booster shot were reviewed by the regulatory body and determined it was safe for use.

TimesLIVE reports that the Pfizer booster shot and can only be administered six months after the second dose has been approved by Sahpra as well. The Pfizer booster will be made available from 28 December for those eligible.

Some South Africans are not eager about booster shots

Heading online, some South Africans are not excited about the availability of booster shots. Some people even think it is all a scheme paid for by pharmaceutical companies or even a political game.

Here are some of their comments:

@liver_mutjokoti said:

"They are under manufactures payroll, we don't blame them, they have their orders from the masters."

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@JWES93504066 said:

"Omf... Really. People of SA, and the world, are now GATVOL."

@Born_of_Afrika said:

"@SAHPRA1 will approve anything from the west."

@la_absalom said:

"SAHPRA was mobbed by a political party over a science issue of approving a vaccine,it's no longer convincing they are strictly scientific.The whole issue has become politically emotive, one wrong step can lead to wrath from somewhere. It will not matter that lives are at stake."

Some South Africans are excited to get the booster shot

Others want other vaccines to be approved in South Africa

@CritiqueAfrika said:

"When is SAPHRA making Sinovac available to SAns?"

Study finds wearing masks has life saving potential

Briefly News previously reported that if you have had doubts about how effective wearing masks during a pandemic is, scientists have answered this question and have found that masks have life-saving potential.

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A new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine looked at the impact of mask mandates in helping prevent Covid19 and how they contribute to Covid-19-related deaths.

The study found that countries that made wearing masks mandatory saw far fewer Covid deaths than countries without mask policies, according to a report by News24.

Source: Briefly News