Africa CDC says countries without variant found in SA should use AstraZeneca vaccine

By Reuters - 11 February 2021 - 13:53

A member of the medical staff holds a vial of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at the Foch hospital in Suresnes, near Paris, France, February 8, 2021.
Image: REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

African countries that have not reported the circulation of the 501Y.V2 coronavirus variant first identified in SA should proceed with the rollout of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, the African Union's disease control body said on Thursday.

Minister of health Zweli Mkhize hosted a public briefing on February 10 2021 to address the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine's lack of effectiveness against the 501Y.V2 strand of Covid-19. The minister also gave a revised plan of the country's vaccine rollout.

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For countries that have reported circulation of the 501Y.V2 variant, they should accelerate their preparedness to introduce all vaccines that have received emergency use authorisation, Africa CDC Director John Nkengasong told a news conference.

"Consideration should be given to the effectiveness of the vaccine against the 501Y.V2variant," Nkengasong said.