South Africa to administer first COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday

South Africa switched to the J&J vaccine to start protecting its health workers after pausing rollout of AstraZeneca's vaccine this month. Preliminary trial data showed the AstraZeneca shot developed in partnership with the University of Oxford offered minimal protection against mild to moderate illness from the country's dominant coronavirus variant.

South Africa will administer its first COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday as it inoculates health workers with the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) shot as part of a research study.

The first shot will be given at Khayelitsha District Hospital in Cape Town, the government said. President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement that 80,000 J&J doses were being prepared for distribution across the country.

"It is expected that most vaccination centres will be ready from today, 17 February 2021, to begin the vaccination programme," Ramaphosa said. South Africa switched to the J&J vaccine to start protecting its health workers after pausing rollout of AstraZeneca's vaccine this month.

Preliminary trial data showed the AstraZeneca shot developed in partnership with the University of Oxford offered minimal protection against mild to moderate illness from the country's dominant coronavirus variant.