South Africa has for the first time contracted private companies to help with importation and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines as it seeks to step up vaccination nationwide.<\/p>\n
The government awarded tenders to state-backed Biologicals Vaccines Institute of Southern Africa and Imperial Logistics to import an unspecified quantity of doses, the Department of Health said in a document<\/a>\u00a0on its website. DSV\u00a0Healthcare <\/span>was contracted to store and distribute the doses countrywide.<\/p>\n On 26 April, Biovac will handle delivery of South Africa\u2019s first batch of 1 million Johnson & Johnson shots being produced locally by Aspen Pharmacare Holdings, chief executive officer Morena Makhoana said by phone.<\/p>\n In addition, the organisation will also manage imports from Pfizer, Makhoana said. The quantities that Biovac and Imperial will import will be announced by the Department of Health, he said.<\/p>\n The government ordered 30 million of the two-dose vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, which in addition to the J&J shots should be sufficient to inoculate more than two thirds of the nation\u2019s 60 million population to achieve herd immunity.<\/p>\n The government, which has been slow to rollout its vaccination program, has so far given 292,623 doses to health workers.<\/p>\n Dispensing shots to people over 60 years and other vulnerable groups is expected to start on May 17 after delivery of the J&J vaccines on Monday, the government said.<\/p>\n
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