THE FIRST BATCH OF THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON HAS ARRIVED IN THE COUNTRY

The first 80 000 of the Johnson and Johnson Covid-19 vaccine arrived on Tuesday night at OR Tambo International Airport, Gauteng. The single-dose vaccine will be utilized to inoculate frontline healthcare workers in both the private and public sector. 

Health officials, the military and police spent the night distributing them to all 17 sites across the country. The 17 vaccination centres include the country's biggest hospital, Chris Hani Baragwaneth Hospital, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, both in Gauteng. In the Western Cape, the rollout will begin at Groote Schuur, Tygerberg and Khayelitsha district hospitals. To start inoculation drive, scientists established the Sisonke Open-label COVID-19 Vaccine Programme.  

The Health Department said that all COVID-19 vaccination sites would go live at 2pm. President Cyril Ramaphosa joined by the Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, will on Wednesday receive a vaccine shot in Khayelitsha. Mkhize said this was to demonstrate their confidence in the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. 

BY CHWAYITA HLANGWANA