First consignment of Covid-19 vaccines arrives in South Africa

The first consignment of Covid-19 vaccines has arrived in South Africa.

President Cyril Ramaphosa and his deputy and chair of the inter-ministerial committee on vaccines David Mabuza were joined by Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, acting minister of the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, High Commissioner of the Republic of India Jaideep Sarkar and chief executive officer of Biovac Dr Morena Makhoana at OR Tambo International Airport to receive the consignment.

President @CyrilRamaphosa and Deputy President @DDMabuza have arrived at OR Tambo International Airport where they will receive the first consignment of the #COVID19 vaccines. Representing the Republic of India is Deputy High Commissioner Abhijit Chakraborty #WeChooseVaccination pic.twitter.com/ekZyzAzgGg

— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) February 1, 2021

The arrival of this first batch of vaccines marks the start of the vaccine roll-out which President Ramaphosa has described as the largest and most complex logistical vaccine undertaking in South Africa’s history.

The first phase of the roll-out will prioritise approximately 1.2 million front-line healthcare workers.

The consignment, from the Serum Institute of India, was developed by multinational pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca in collaboration with the University of Oxford.

Biovac, the biopharmaceutical company formed in 2003 in partnership with government and private investors, will play an important role in quality assurance, warehousing and distribution of the vaccine in South Africa.

The vaccines arrived via Emirates airline in rainy conditions at the OR Tambo International Airport on 1 February 2021.

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize spoke to the media, “We are quite happy to see the first million doses of the vaccine coming through today. We are very excited. We need to make sure that suspicions around vaccines are cleared.”

Mkhize also indicated that the government is making advances to receive additional doses in the upcoming months.

President Ramaphosa was also delighted to see the vaccines arrive on South African soil, indicating that he will elaborate more on the vaccine during his evening address.

#sapsHQ An aircraft carrying 1 million #Covid19 vaccines is expected to land at the OR TAMBO International Airport at 15:00. Members of the #SAPS are on high alert ensuring safety and security. ME #VaccineforSouthAfrica ME pic.twitter.com/r84o8QQg73

— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) February 1, 2021

ALSO READ: President Ramaphosa to address the nation tonight

@GovernmentZA roll-out of the vaccine will take a three-phase approach that begins with the most vulnerable in our population. @GovernmentZA is committed to achieving herd immunity and stamp out the disease. #COVID19 #vaccination

— GCIS Media Liaison (@GCISMedia) February 1, 2021

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