After the unfortunate turn of events surrounding the first vaccine delivered to the country recently, South African leadership and front line workers in Cape Town were very happy to be the first citizens to receive the new vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson.
The country’s first group of health workers being vaccinated on Wednesday, 17 February, were from the Khayelitsha District Hospital.
It was indeed a historic moment, especially after the public had demanded that the president be the first to take the vaccine to prove it is safe for the people.
President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the media after his vaccination saying: “I’ve just had my vaccination and I must say that at first, I was a bit terrified of this long needle that was going to be embedded into my arm. It happened so quickly, so easily. It was just a prick on my flesh and I really did not feel much pain.”
Making it more public, the president tweeted: “Taking the vaccine was quick, easy and not so painful. I urge all our healthcare workers to register to receive their vaccinations as they are our first line of defense against the coronavirus pandemic.”
Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize also received his jab.
The first 80,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine have been dispatched to 17 sites across the country as part of an implementation study which started on Wednesday.
They vaccine studied in South Africa arrived at OR Tambo International Airport on Tuesday night and it will continue to be studied as per the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority’s approval of an extension of the study, before the vaccine is officially licensed.
The first doses received are part of the study, which means that taxpayers won’t be paying for it. The other nine million doses secured by government will be paid for by the people.
