Mkhize: Second batch of Johnson & Johnson vaccine to arrive this weekend

The 80 000 doses are expected to land in the country on Saturday,

 Mkhize made the announcement during a debate on the country’s Covid-19 vaccination plan in the National Assembly on Tuesday. 

 "It is also my pleasure to announce that the next batch of 80 000 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine will arrive this Saturday.

 "Our healthcare workers, who are our frontline soldiers and made a defence in fighting this virus, have not been spared the devastating effects of the second wave in South Africa," Mkhize told MPs. 

 He said government has set itself a target of  inoculating 40 000 healthcare workers by Wednesday. 

 "We have now vaccinated 23 059 healthcare workers as of 6pm yesterday (Monday). Beyond that cut-off time, we have vaccinated 8 000 health workers in yesterday's working hours, and we are on course to complete 40 000 by Wednesday." 

 The minister also announced that the one million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which arrived in the country earlier, has been sold to African Union. 

 "In regard to the sale of the Astra Zeneca vaccine, the stock has been sold to the African Union and not donated. We have learnt from the AU that, in fact, we have now have a win-win situation where almost 20 countries from the continent will actually benefit.

 “They will use this for healthcare workers in the areas where AstraZeneca works well and they have got no challenge of the variant." 

 The AstraZeneca vaccinations were put on hold after a small local trial found the shot offered minimal protection against mild to moderate illness from the 501Y.V2 variant.