For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.

Making headlines: South Africa is promised 9-million Johnson&Johnson vaccine shots ; KZN to work on Covid-19 vaccination sites as it prepares for arrival of vaccines; And, Malawi to close schools, make bars shut early to curb pandemic

South Africa is promised 9-million Johnson&Johnson vaccine shots

South Africa, which has yet to receive its first coronavirus vaccine, has been promised 9-million doses by Johnson & Johnson, according to news reports, citing a health ministry spokesperson.

Government is scrambling to secure enough Covid-19 vaccines, after health workers and scientists publicly criticised it for not moving fast enough to inoculate its people.

The country has recorded more than 1.3-million infections and more than 37 000 deaths related to the virus, the most in Africa.

The 9-million Johnson&Johnson doses took the total amount of doses South Africa had been promised to more than 30-million. Roughly 12-million doses are coming from the COVAX global vaccine distribution scheme, around 12-million from an African Union arrangement and 1.5-million from the Serum Institute of India which is making AstraZeneca shots.

KZN to work on Covid-19 vaccination sites as it prepares for arrival of vaccine

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala says the province is planning to get the ball rolling in working on Covid-19 vaccination sites in all districts to ensure they are in a good state of readiness for when it arrives.

Zikalala said the province would devise a plan that would ensure vaccines were rolled out faster when they were available.

He said the province's starting point was to embark on awareness campaigns and educating people, as well as debunking the myths surrounding the vaccines.

KZN has recorded 29 147 new infections in the past seven days, with increases seen in Ethekwini, Umgungundlovu, Uthukela, Amajuba, Zululand, Umkhanyakude and Umzinyathi districts.

And, Malawi to close schools, make bars shut early to curb pandemic

Malawi's schools are to shut for at least 15 days, and all bars must close at 8 pm, under new coronavirus restrictions announced by President Lazarus Chakwera.

After reporting no positive cases for almost two months, the country has seen a sudden resurgence in coronavirus cases since the middle of last month.

The new measures concerning schools and bars will take effect from Monday.

Chakwera also said the government has allocated an additional 1.6-billion kwacha in funds to be spent on recruiting frontline healthcare workers, 1 000 intensive care unit beds and 1 000 oxygen cylinders among other requirements.

The country of 19-million people has reported 12 470 cases of Covid-19 and 314 deaths since the pandemic began last year.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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