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South African Regulator Recommends Lifting J&J Vaccine Ban

A healthcare worker removes vials containing doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Photo: Phill Magakoe/AFP/Getty Images

(Bloomberg) --South Africa’s health regulator asked the government to lift the pause on administering Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine provided certain conditions are met.

By Felix Njini
Apr 17, 2021, 10:39 PM – Updated on Apr 18, 2021, 9:46 AM
Word Count: 166

“These conditions include, but are not limited to, strengthened screening and monitoring of participants who are at high risk of a blood clotting disorder,” the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority said in a statement.

South Africa halted J&J vaccines after health agencies on Tuesday called for their suspension in the U.S. The J&J shot is a key element to South Africa’s vaccination plan and has already been used to inoculate health workers, with no reported adverse effects. Drug maker Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd. will manufacture the J&J vaccine in South Africa for wider use.

The government has been slow to rollout its vaccination program, and only 292,623 health-care workers had been inoculated with the J&J doses as of April 17. South Africa, which is the worst-affected country by the coronavirus pandemic on the continent, lags behind emerging market peers in vaccinations.

(Updates with slow rollout in final paragraph)
© 2021 Bloomberg L.P.
Information pertaining to Covid-19, vaccines, how to control the spread of the virus and potential treatments is ever-changing. Under the South African Disaster Management Act Regulation 11(5)(c) it is prohibited to publish information through any medium with the intention to deceive people on government measures to address COVID-19. We are therefore disabling the comment section on this article in order to protect both the commenting member and ourselves from potential liability. Should you have additional information that you think we should know, please email [email protected]
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