The move comes after trial data shows that jab offered limited protection against mild and moderate disease caused by the coronavirus variant 501Y.V2.
South Africa has suspended the use of the Oxford / AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine in its immunization program until a committee of scientists advises on the best way to proceed.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize’s announcement on Sunday came after research data showed that the vaccine developed by drug manufacturer AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford offered only limited protection against mild and moderate disease caused by the 501Y.V2 coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa.
The government planned to roll out the Oxford / AstraZeneca shot to health professionals shortly, after receiving 1 million doses produced by the Serum Institute of India on Monday.
Instead, it will be offering vaccines developed by Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and Pfizer in the coming weeks as experts consider how the AstraZeneca injection could be used.
“When new information comes to light and viruses change and mutate, decisions have to be made. This may be why the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine has been delayed for the time being. In the coming weeks, South Africa will have the J&J and Pfizer vaccine, ”the Independent Online website said.
The University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, which conducted the trial of the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine, said in a statement Sunday that the vaccine provides “minimal protection against mild to moderate COVID-19 infection” of the variant, which is dominant in South. -Africa. .
But in a full article published on Monday, AstraZeneca said none of the 2,000 participants developed serious symptoms around the age of 31. That could mean it will still have an effect on serious illness, although there isn’t enough data yet to make a final judgment.
The data, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, “appears to confirm the theoretical observation that mutations in the virus observed in South Africa will allow continued transmission of the virus in vaccinated populations,” it said.
“Protection against moderate to severe illness, hospitalization or death could not be assessed in this study as the target population was at low risk.”
A spokesman for AstraZeneca also said the company has begun modifying its vaccine against the variant and “will make rapid progress in clinical development so that it is ready for fall delivery should the need arise.”