South Africa is due to receive its first batch of coronavirus vaccines today. 

The country which is currently the worst hit by COVID-19 in Africa was initially scheduled to receive the vaccines at the end of January, but that was later pushed to today, February 1, 2021. 

The first one million shots of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine produced in India will be used to inoculate healthcare workers over the next three months. The second batch of 500,000 jabs is scheduled to arrive later in February

Despite criticism from opposition parties and medical experts that the procurement process of the vaccine has taken too long, Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize has called the arrival of the vaccines from the Serum Institute of India “a massive achievement of unprecedented proportions”.

Once the consignment has undergone quality checks, which are going to take between 10 and 14 days, the country will begin its long-awaited, three-phase immunisation campaign.

Following the inoculation of front-line healthcare workers, other high-risk groups such as the elderly, people with comorbidities and essential workers such as minibus drivers, police and teachers are going to receive their shot. 

The third phase targets everyone else above the age of 18.

Here is South Africa’s Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on the processes the vaccine will undergo on arrival.