The South African government procured 1 million doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine which expires in April this year, a move that has angered the general populace of the Southern African nation as it turned out the vaccine may not be useful.
The vaccine has also proved not to be effective in preventing mild symptoms of the South African variant.
Head of the vaccination program Prof. Shabir A. Madhi, is Professor of Vaccinology at the University of the Witwatersrand revealed that the vaccine has limited ability to prevent severe symptoms of the South African variant.
Trials performed in South Africa couldn’t determine if the AstraZeneca vaccine prevents severe illness. The vaccine has minimal effect of the now dominant variant in South Africa.
The vaccine already administered will be of limited use against the SA variant.
“Results of the South Africa vaccine trial for AstraZeneca were “disappointing” but they don’t show whether or not the vaccine can prevent severe illness from the new variant — and this could still be possible, Prof. Shabir A. Madhi emphasized.”
Medical experts have advised the government to stop its plans to administer the AstraZeneca vaccine as the results of the trial are not satisfactory enough to allow them to proceed in vaccinating the population.
While the vaccine also expires in six months after manufacturing, warranting South African authorities to use the vaccine by April, the authorities are considering swapping the vaccine with newly produced jabs as they wait for conclusive results on whether they should proceed with administering the vaccine or not.
State media is reporting that the health authorities have applied for an extension on the date or exchange on the stock.
It is not yet explained how the vaccine’s life can be extended.
It would be “reckless” to discard the 1 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine that have already arrived in South Africa, says Prof. Madhi. The doses are likely to be useful at some point.
Vaccines are normally good for 6 months, says Prof. Karim. The AZ vaccines from India arrived with an April expiry date, but South Africa will talk to the supplier to resolve that problem, Pro. Madhi said.