South African Health Authorities To Continue With J&J Vaccine As Cabinet Lifts Suspension

South African health authorities have decided to resume the COVID-19 vaccination drive with Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine doses after a data review confirmed that people who had received the shot had not experienced any blood clot, reported Mail & Guardian.

The country suspended its Sisonke vaccination program on April 13 as a precautionary measure after six people who received the J&J vaccine reported having blood clots. The decision to suspend the use of the J&J vaccine was a result of advice issued by the United States Centres for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration. 

On Thursday, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, the acting minister in the South African presidency, announced that after recommendations presented to the cabinet, a decision was made to lift the suspension.

“The reviewed data had confirmed that South Africa had not experienced any rare blood clots with the already vaccinated health workers,” Ntshavheni said. “Cabinet welcomes the recommendation of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority to lift the suspension of the J&J Sisonke vaccination program.”

The South African minister said the country’s scientists will continue to monitor all the people, as and when they are vaccinated. She added that the second phase of the roll-out would begin on 17 May.

In phase one of the vaccination drive, which is yet to be completed, about 290 000 have received their jabs out of more than 600 000 healthcare workers who registered to be vaccinated.

Ntshavheni confirmed that the South African government had procured 30-million Pfizer vaccines, up from the initial 10-million. She appealed to people who are 60 years and older to use the Electronic Vaccination Data System to register online for the shots.

The minister also noted a slight increase of 4.9% in persons testing positive for the virus in the past two weeks.

Ntshavheni attributed the slight increase in cases is attributed to cluster resurgences in the Free State and Northern Cape, adding that the government did activate its rapid response teams to conduct contact tracing to prevent further spreading.

South Africa has so far recorded 1,571,348 Covid cases since the virus was first detected in March last year.