COVID-19 - The African Mirror

Apr

14

2021

J&J vaccine panic: SA finds no major safety concerns

COVID-19

MICHAEL ERMAN and MANAS MISHRA The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) today announced that it had recently reviewed data from Johnson & Johnson's (J&J) local research study immunising healthcare workers and found no major safety concerns. SAHPRA added that it was awaiting additional data from J&J and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The reassurance came after the world went on to full alert and the rollout of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine has been suspended after six US women under age 50 developed rare blood clots after receiving the shot, dealing a fresh setback to efforts…

Jul

07

2021

By The African Mirror

Lions tour in jeopardy after management member tests COVID-19 positive

COVID-19

MARK GLEESON THE British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa was thrown into jeopardy today when a member of the Lions' tour management tested positive for COVID-19 as infections continue to spread across South African rugby. A statement from the Lions said the individual and four close contacts – including two players and two members of staff – were being isolated and assessed at the team hotel, and that all other members of the touring party had been PCR-tested. If they test positive, then Wednesday's tour match against the Sharks in Johannesburg is likely to be called off. The…

Jul

07

2021

By The African Mirror

Morocco’s to produce vaccine

COVID-19

MOROCCAN pharmaceutical firm Sothema will soon start production of five million doses a month of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in the North African country, state news agency MAP has reported. The announcement was made at a ceremony chaired by King Mohammed VI during which the Moroccan government, Sinopharm and Sothema, whose formal name is Société Thérapeutique Marocaine, also signed deals to produce the vaccine in Morocco, which has a population of about 36 million. At the same event, the Moroccan government also signed a deal with Sweden's Recipharm to set up a plant in Morocco to produce other key vaccines.…

Jul

07

2021

By The African Mirror

Tunisia to buy 3.5-million doses of vaccine

COVID-19

TUNISIA is to buy 3.5-million doses of COVID-19 vaccine directly from Johnson & Johnson, amid sharp criticism of the government for the slow pace of its vaccination campaign. So far, only about 592,000 Tunisians have received the two doses of vaccine in the country of 11.6 million residents. After successfully containing the virus in the first wave last year, Tunisia is grappling with a rise in infections. It imposed a lockdown in some cities since last week, but rejected a full national lockdown due to the economic crisis. In total, Tunisia has recorded 447,000 coronavirus cases and more than 14,000…

Jul

07

2021

By The African Mirror

England to scrap self-isolation

COVID-19

ALISTAIR SMOUT and MICHAEL HOLDEN PEOPLE who have been fully vaccinated and children will from August 16 no longer have to self-isolate after close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19, health minister Sajid Javid has announced. Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out plans on Monday to end social and economic COVID-19 restrictions in England on July 19, a test of whether a rapid vaccine rollout offers enough protection from the more infectious Delta variant. Javid said the success of the vaccine programme meant it was possible to go further in easing self-isolation rules for those who have received…

Apr

14

2021

By The African Mirror

South Africa secure 10 million doses

COVID-19

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER SOUTH Africa has sealed a deal in terms of which the country will receive 10 million COVID-19 doses from Pfizer. The deal brings to 30 million, the number of doses the country has secured from Pfizer. The deal was announced by SA Health Minister Zweli Mkhize. “I am happy to announce that we have successfully negotiated for another 10 million doses from Pfizer and, of these, we expect just under two million to be delivered in May. This, therefore, means that we have secured 30 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine for this financial year. South Africa…

Apr

14

2021

By The African Mirror

Countries urged to release excess vaccine

COVID-19

WORLD Bank President David Malpass and José Manuel Barroso, chair of the Gavi vaccine alliance have discussed the importance of countries with excess COVID-19 vaccine supplies releasing them as soon as possible, the World Bank said. Malpass expressed his desire to work closely with Gavi on a 2022 strategy, including helping expand vaccine production capacity for developing countries, the bank said in a statement. The two officials also discussed the need for more transparency by countries, suppliers and development partners on vaccine contracts, and regarding national export and supply commitments and requirements, the bank said. FILE PHOTO: José Manuel Barroso,…

Apr

14

2021

By The African Mirror

Superstars for Covid concert

COVID-19

GLOBAL singers Jennifer Lopez and H.E.R. will star in a global streaming and broadcast special on May 8 to raise money for COVID-19 vaccines, following last year's "One World - Together at Home" fundraiser in which locked-down stars including Lady Gaga performed from their homes. "VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World" will be hosted by singer Selena Gomez and also feature the Foo Fighters and Eddie Vedder, according to organiser Global Citizen, an international advocacy group. "This is really an opportunity to call on world leaders to make sure that the 27 million heroic healthcare workers around the…

Jul

06

2021

By The African Mirror

IMF chief warns of ‘dangerous divergence’ recovery

COVID-19

THE head of the International Monetary Fund has warned of a "dangerous divergence" between wealthy and developing countries as they seek to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Kristalina Georgieva said that strong growth in wealthy countries like the United States was "good news" but developing countries were being held back by slow vaccination rates. "That is danger for the coherence of growth and it is also a danger for global stability and security," she told the Paris Peace Forum where the heads of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and World Bank also spoke. WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala similarly expressed concerns,…

Jul

06

2021

By The African Mirror

Ivory Coast sends mobile clinics to speed up COVID vaccinations

COVID-19

IVORY Coast has begun sending mobile clinics to markets and other busy areas in its main city Abidjan in an effort to turbocharge the vaccination campaign against COVID-19. After administering fewer than 800,000 doses since vaccinations began in March - enough for a single dose for just 3% of the population - Ivorian health authorities are now aiming to inoculate a million people in Abidjan over the next 10 days. While acknowledging that will be a tall order, they hope to pick up the pace by targeting some of Abidjan's most frequented places, especially its vast open-air markets where most…