Discovery worried we’ll run out of vaccines, as J&J jabs being probed

South Africa may soon face a shortage that could slow the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines, which currently averages 20 000 shots administered per day, says Discovery.

This follows the distribution of Johnson & Johnson doses being halted in the USA and locally, this time due to the possible contamination of a key ingredient in the product.

In April, South Africa temporarily suspended the rollout of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine as a precautionary measure after the United States FDA and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) paused the rollout of the vaccine.

This followed reports of a rare clotting condition in six people out of 6.8 million doses administered.

Discovery Health CEO Dr Ryan Noach says the company is particularly concerned about the supply of Covid-19  vaccines over the next two weeks.

Possible contaminated ingredients behind doses sitting on shelves

“There is an investigation in the United States in Baltimore by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in the US on the active product ingredient (API) in their vaccine. That API has been used by the manufacturers of the Aspen factory in South Africa. So those vaccines are ready to be distributed, but they are being withheld pending the investigation into the factory in the US,” he says.

Also Read: This is how it’s done: Discovery vaccinates 2,300 a day

An Emergent BioSciences factory in Baltimore, USA, contracted to make the Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine has reportedly failed to meet health and hygiene requirements. This has led to the contamination of an ingredient used in the shots.

The 15 million dose batch was thrown out and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) halted distribution of doses from the factory. J&J doses in South Africa’s Aspen Pharmacare factory have since been sitting on shelves awaiting the completion of an investigation into these doses for the same possible contamination.

“This is causing an unforeseen gap in supply and we are concerned that it will have an impact on our centre. We depend entirely on that supply, so it is a risk,” says Noach.

Discovery is, however, working very closely with the National Department of Health (NDOH) through Business For South Africa, who is in turn working with the National Department of Health (NDOH), providing support in the procurement of the vaccines and the planning for distribution.

Also Read: Leftover Sisonke jabs to be used so SA’s athletes can go to Olympics

The South African government has seen the establishment of two manufacturing contracts, one with drug giant Pfizer and the other with J&J. The obvious remedy for the looming shortage, Noach suggests is to try and get Pfizer stock while the J&J stock is unavailable.

Efforts are being made to do so by the NDOH, he  concludes.

Concern over slow pace of rollout

Meanwhile, labour federation COSATU says it is deeply alarmed at the “lethargic rate” at which South Africans are being vaccinated. A Covid-19 vaccine shortage could also set the economy back, it warns.

“Only 20 000 people a day are being vaccinated with few over the weekends. This needs to be ramped up to 200 000 a day, 7 days a week if we are to ensure the nation is vaccinated by December 2021,” says Cosatu Parliamentary Organiser Matthew Parks.

“The economy cannot afford restrictions and lock downs in perpetuity. The lives and livelihoods of workers depend upon the speedy roll out of the vaccines,” he lamented.

All in a day’s work

The Discovery site has been administering over 2000 vaccine doses a day. According to Ron Whalen, Discovery Health’s Chief Commercial Officer, the company’s vaccination site in Sandton administers Pfizer vaccines only.

“The government, because of the refrigeration and logistics requirements, decided the best way to handle distribution was to send J&J to some of the smaller sites.”

“The bigger sites like this one use Pfizer, so, the sites will be split between J&J and Pfizer. This also means distribution is less complicated and there is no chance of mixing up the doses at a particular site. So the sites are designated either Pfizer or J&J and this is a Pfizer designated site,” Whalen adds.

Discovery is opting for the newly recommended three-month wait for the second doses to be administered on the Pfizer vaccine, rather than the required minimum of 21 days. This is because the vaccine has been proven to work more effectively if three months go by between doses.

Though journalists were shown almost every aspect of the vaccination process at the Discovery site, where the vaccines are stored remains top secret. This is to keep the highly valuable products secure.

Simnikiweh@citizen.co.za