Batches of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine that were mixed and finished at the Aspen Pharmacare plant in Gqeberha (formerly known as Port Elizabeth) will not be released for use in South Africa, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) said early on Sunday morning. However, in a statement, SAHPRA has indicated that they will release 300,000 Johnson & Johnson vaccines that have been cleared by the United States Food and Drug Administration. The doses will be shipped to South Africa. In the statement, SAHPRA CEO Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela said that after reviewing the data provided by the FDA, it has “made a decision not to release vaccines produced using the drug substance batches that were not suitable”.