South African President Cyril Ramaphosa
South Africa has been in talks with various COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, including those in the West, Russia and China, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said on Monday.
Speaking at a briefing on the national vaccine strategy, the minister noted that the country aimed to immunise 67 per cent of its population by the year-end.
South Africans are set to start receiving COVID-19 shots from February, and most vulnerable groups will be the first in line.
According to Mkhize, the country has been in contact with a spate of vaccine manufactures, but since it has signed non-disclosure agreements, it cannot reveal many details.
“[We are in] discussions in relation to Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca … with some representatives from Russian vaccine [manufactures] and from Chinese [ones],” he added.
South Africa has the largest COVID-19 tally in Africa.
The country has confirmed more than 1.1 million cases, including more than 900,000 recoveries and some 29,500 deaths. (Sputnik/NAN)