Vaccine deployment in South Africa: all is not lost

Many South Africans have reacted with shock and disappointment to the news that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will not be as effective as experts had hoped against the local variant of Covid-19.

The country has suspended its deployment of the million doses it has received. The vaccination was due to start next week.

While there are now more questions than ready-made answers, the message from health officials is that all is not lost.

They believe the vaccine may still be effective in preventing serious illness and to some extent help reduce the number of people who need to be admitted to hospital for treatment.

This is important in a country where around 80% of the population cannot afford private health care and depends on currently overcrowded public hospitals for health care.

So what’s the plan now? Well, the South African Minister of Health has said he will follow local scientists on how to reuse the vaccine to get the most benefit from it.

Some suggest that the vaccine may be useful if given to the elderly population and to people with co-morbidities.

When it comes to managing people’s concerns, government and scientists may need to go the extra mile to reassure citizens that a plan is still in place – and lives can and will be saved.