Cabinet announced on Thursday that Phase 2 of the country’s Covid-19 vaccination programme will roll out on Monday, May 17, running simultaneously with the vaccination of health care workers.

The vaccination of health care workers, with the Johnson &Johnson (J&J) vaccine, was put on hold following reports of blood clots.

South Africa has resumed the vaccination programme and Cabinet revealed that health care workers will be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine until further notice.

To date 434 980 healthcare workers have been vaccinated under the Sisonke protocol, which will end on Friday.

Phase 2 of the country’s vaccine programme targets people aged 60 and above and Cabinet has urged qualifying South Africans to register on the Covid-19 Electronic Vaccination Data System.

INDIA

Cabinet said it supported the decision to donate ventilators to India as part of South Africa’s belief that the fight against Covid-19 across the globe requires collective efforts.

“Cabinet is also aware of the concerns amongst South Africans about the Covid-19 situation in India, and wishes to assure South Africans that the Department of Health and our scientists continue to monitor developments in that country and that necessary and appropriate precautions and protocols are implemented to protect South Africans,” it said in a statement.

TRIPS WAIVER

The Cabinet also welcomed US support for the waiver of Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), saying it will allow for wider manufacturing of Covid-19 vaccines.

South Africa and India have been leading the waiver initiative at the World Trade Organization.

“Poor access to Covid-19 vaccines has prevented the majority of developing countries, in particular within the African continent, from making significant progress in the fight against Covid-19. Cabinet’s view is that preventing nations from developing their own vaccines in the face of high mortality rates as a result of the coronavirus is morally indefensible,” it said.

Cabinet has also welcomed the R3-billion commitment by South African-born American biotechnology entrepreneur Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong to transfer the latest technology for producing vaccines and biological therapies to South Africa.

Cabinet reminded all South African to continue adhering to non-pharmaceutical health protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19.