(Bloomberg)
Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccines intended for South Africa remain suspended following a U.S. ruling that ingredients for the country’s doses may have been contaminated during production in a plant in Baltimore.
The U.S.
(Bloomberg) South Africa expects the Food & Drug Administration to clear the release of Johnson & Johnson vaccines later this week after a contamination incident at a U.S. plant, clearing the way for the country to ramp up its inoculation plan.
Cloete said: “We can do a maximum of 70,000 vaccines next week, unless J&J starts coming back into the system.”
In the first week there were 18 sites and by Friday there will be 114. The plan is for 186, but the “supply problem will stymie this”, according to Cloete. “The supply constraints are not regarding the capacity at our sites to administer vaccines. We cannot do the intended 120,000 next week and that big supply constraint is a direct result of the non-delivery and non-release of the J&J doses.”
SA had ordered just over 30 million doses of the J&J vaccine, which only requires one jab, while Aspen Pharmacare Holdings, the country’s biggest drugmaker, has a contract to fill and package the vaccine at a local plant.
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Clearing the way for the country to ramp up its inoculation plan.
By S thembile Cele, Bloomberg
2 Jun 2021 14:30
Image: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
South Africa expects the Food & Drug Administration to clear the release of Johnson & Johnson vaccines later this week after a contamination incident at a US plant, clearing the way for the country to ramp up its inoculation plan.
âWe expect that this Friday the FDA will make an announcement and we will get our J&J vaccines soon,â Health Department Director-General Sandile Buthelezi said at the Black Business Council summit in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
South Africa has ordered just over 30 million of the single-dose J&J shot, enough to cover about half the population. Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd., the countryâs biggest drugmaker, has a contract to fill and package the vaccine at a local plant.
Global development groups including International Finance Corp (IFC) said they will explore helping African producers such as Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd (APNJ.J) boost vaccine manufacturing in Africa, which received relatively few COVID-19 immunizations produced by rich nations. The news comes after the European