South Africa on Tuesday April 13 suspended the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine against Covid-19 after the risk of blood clots observed in the United States, announced the Minister of Health, Zweli Mkhize.
"
We have decided to voluntarily suspend our deployment until the cause and effect relationship between the development of clots and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is sufficiently analyzed,
" the minister announced in an online press briefing.
Read also: Vaccinated but confined: should the example of Chile worry us?
The American health authorities had announced earlier in the day "
a pause
" in the use of this vaccine because of the rare appearance of serious blood clots.
Zweli Mkhize said no case of a blood clot has been identified among the 290,000 health workers vaccinated in South Africa, but that the US decision should "
be taken seriously
".
"
We hope that this break will last only a few days
", he added "
and that this will not lead to a complete withdrawal of this vaccine
".
The second phase of the vaccination plan, intended for essential workers and those over 60, is due to start on May 17.
So far South Africa has ordered 31 million doses of the J&J vaccine and 30 million of the Pfizer.
An additional 1.3 million is expected to be provided by the international Covax program.
