JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa has closed the sale of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines that it obtained but did not use to other member states of the African Union (AU), the Ministry of Health said on Sunday.
The country suspended AstraZeneca vaccinations last month due to a small trial that showed the shot offers minimal protection against mild to moderate diseases caused by the dominant local coronavirus variant.
At the time, South Africa received 1 million doses of AstraZeneca from the Serum Institute in India and the delivery of another 500,000 was pending.
The ministry said it had been working in recent weeks to ensure that all member states identified by the AU vaccine procurement teams as recipients of the vaccines complied, and that they had obtained all regulatory approvals, permits and licenses to use the vaccines. to set up their respective countries.
“The minister can confirm that the department received the full purchase price last week,” reads a statement.
“The first batch of vaccines delivered will benefit 9 member states and the balance will be collected this week to deliver to 5 other member states.”
The statement does not mention prices and does not mention the countries that bought the vaccines.
After South Africa discontinued the introduction of the AstraZeneca vaccine, it began in a research study to vaccinate health workers with Johnson & Johnson shots.
The government plans to vaccinate 40 million people, or two-thirds of the population, to achieve some degree of herd immunity.
(Reporting by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo; Editing by Catherine Evans and Giles Elgood)