Cape Town - South Africans over the age of 60 are next in line to receive the Covid-19 vaccine and can expect to receive their shot in mid-May.

Chief of Operations for Western Cape Government Health Dr Saadiq Kariem confirmed this to IOL.

“We are aiming to start with phase two mid May (starting with the over 60 yr age group) depending upon receiving the vaccine from the national department of health. At this stage we have not yet confirmed which vaccine it will be. This should also be happening around the country,” he said.

The Sisonke implementation study passed the half way mark earlier this week and positive result can be expected according to co-principal investigator of the study, Professor Ameena Goga.

Close to 280 000 health-care workers have received the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine and Goga says they expect to reach the 500 000 mark and conclude the study by the end of April.

On Thursday, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize confirmed that South Africa has secured 51 million doses of vaccines from Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer.

“We have now secured a combined 51 million doses of vaccines; 31 million from J&J’s one dose vaccine and 20 million from Pfizer’s two dose vaccine,” he said during a media briefing after visiting vaccination sites at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.

“This means we can now move ahead with confidence as we finalise the plans for our mass rollout campaign, which is officially due to begin at the conclusion of phase one on 17 May 2021,” he said.

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