SOUTH AFRICA – South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has approved Pfizer and Sinopharm vaccines for use in the country in efforts to eradicate COVID-19.

Following the approval , Pfizer’s Covid-19 Comirnaty vaccine can now be used by individuals over the age of 12 while MC Pharma’s Sinopharm shot can be used on adults.

MC Pharma is a Beijing-based company that manufactures Sinopharm vaccine.

The authorization of the two-dose vaccines is based on acceptable safety, quality and efficacy data submitted by both drug makers.

The second dose of the Pfizer vaccine should be taken three weeks after the first while MC Pharma’s shots should be administered two to four weeks apart.

“The approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine has paved the way for the government to offer vaccinations to teenagers while the registered Sinopharm Covid-19 shot has cleared the way for the Chinese vaccine’s use for adults in the country,” the health regulatory body said in statement.

The vaccines usage still remains subject to the conditions of the government’s Covid-19 vaccination programme, the reporting of ongoing study results and safety reviews.

Moreover, the government is yet to officially announce a supply deal or procurement of shipments of Sinopharm vaccines.

As the global race to produce a Covid-19 vaccine continues, China has made huge strides with vaccines from two front-runners namely Sinovac and Sinopharm.

Last November, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to supply 1 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses to African countries out of which 600 million doses were to be donated.

“China has so far delivered 119 million doses to the continent of which 25 million were donated,” according to Beijing-based Bridge Consulting which tracks Chinese vaccine exports.

Chinese vaccines are in use in 46 nations across Africa but the number of doses delivered remains relatively low.

South Africa had been one of the few African nations not using Chinese vaccines in their Covid-19 immunization programmes.

The country worst-hit by the pandemic in Africa in terms of COVID-19 fatalities and caseload has relied mainly on Pfizer-BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses in its vaccination campaign.

The vaccines approval comes at the right time when the country is preparing for a potential fifth wave.

Vaccine hesitancy is the main issue impacting the pace of the campaign and the government has launched efforts to persuade people to get the jab.

“The registration of these vaccines is a major step forward in vaccine registration as SAHPRA plays its role in the fight against Covid-19,” Chief Executive Officer Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela said.

She further noted that SAHPRA was still reviewing applications for Russia’s Sputnik V and Sputnik Light vaccines as well as Australia’s Novavax shot.

In addition , South Africa is receiving doses from the World Health Organization-backed COVAX Facility which aims to ensure poorer countries receive fair and equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines.

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