President Cyril Ramaphosa and other top Government officials are expected to receive SA’s first consignment of the Oxford Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses on Monday afternoon.
“Covishield” is being produced under license by AstraZeneca through the Serum Institute of India.
The President confirmed that Deputy President David Mabuza and Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, alongside other dignitaries will be at the OR Tambo airport to receive the vaccine, where the first rollout will be made.
“The arrival of the first consignment at OR Tambo International Airport marks the start of the vaccine rollout which President Ramaphosa describes as the largest and most complex logistical vaccine undertaking in South Africa’s country’s history,” the Presidency said.
“The scale of delivery is unprecedented in terms of the number of people who have to be reached within a short space of time.”
The first shipment of 1 million doses of the #OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine from the @SerumInstIndia is on the way to @ortambo_int
The shipment left the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai today and will arrive in South Africa on 1 February 2021.#COVID19 pic.twitter.com/lTw1EtGi0d— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) January 31, 2021
