Sahpra in advanced stages to green-light Pfizer vaccine for SA: Report

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) is believed to be in the advanced stages of approving Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine for the country. 

The country has been using Johnson and Johnson vaccines to date to vaccinate health workers and used up the first batch of these this week. 

Over the weekend more Johnson and Johson jabs landed in the country though, and government has said it aims to step up its vaccination drive significantly. 

In his last so-called "family meeting" on Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphsoa said government has signed an agreement with Johnson & Johnson to secure 11 million doses.

Of these doses, 2.8 million doses will be delivered in the second quarter and the rest spread throughout the year.

“We have also secured 20 million doses from Pfizer, which will be delivered from the second quarter,” he noted.

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Reuters now reports that Sahpra is in the afvanced stages of reviewing Phizer's Section 21 application, which would potentially allow the pharmaceutical giant to provide the vaccines in the country until such a time that full regulatory approval is granted. 

AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine was given  Section 21 approval by Sahpra in January of this year.

Sahpra has not yet provided an official update on this process, or the process to potentially allow for Russia's Sputnik V vaccine to be given similar clearance. 

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