Who will get the vaccine first in SA? Govt experts detail ‘tier system’

Our only guaranteed route out of this COVID-19 nightmare is through a comprehensive vaccine rollout programme. Although South Africa still has a few months to go before any jabs are made available (by April at the earliest), the planning procedures for the first patients are already taking shape – in the form of a ‘tier system”.

Who will get the vaccine first in South Africa?

Professor Barry Schoub is the chairperson for the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19. He appeared alongside two other key advisors on a vaccine procurement panel earlier this morning.

When asked about the country’s vaccine strategy, Schoub explained that the first recipients would be placed in a top tier. He says that healthcare workers are right at the front of the queue for a vaccine. Then the elderly, and residents in nursing homes, follow soon after that. People with comorbidities will fall into a second tier, and so on…

It’ll all end in tiers… Professor Schoub on ‘vaccine prioritisation’

“The top tier are healthcare workers. In our role as the Advisory Committee, we have put healthcare workers at the top of our list for the vaccine. Also the elderly particularly those who are in nursing homes, because they are at risk for complications. There are also key personnel other than healthcare workers and people in institutions.”

“Those with comorbidities will be in the second tier. There is one advantage that we have over countries that have rushed in [for vaccine procurement] – we have a wider choice of vaccines and can look at those most suitable to our conditions.”

Professor Barry Schoub

Schoub: There is a big advantage of having a trial done in SA. Those vaccines have been tested in our environment. We are able to see what it behaves like in the field and get experience in the trail monitoring & evaluation. #VaccineStrategy

— Department of Health: COVID-19 (@COVID_19_ZA) December 31, 2020

Latest news from COVAX

On Wednesday, the UK government confirmed that it would roll-out its Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine on 4 January. Trials for the treatment were held in South Africa, but that doesn’t mean we will gain immediate access to this vaccine. However, Anban Pillay. the DDG of the Health Department, explained that SA is sticking to its ‘cautious strategy’.

“Can you imagine if we put all our money into a particular vaccine that has not come to bare? We would have told the South African public that we spent billion of Rands and the trial failed.”

“We’ve not delayed the procurement at all. We took a decision that we would go with the COVAX Facility rather than taking risks and going with one vaccine supplier. This is a safer mechanism and we are about 1 of 198 countries procuring.”

Anban Pillay

DDG Anban Pillay: Suppliers do not have stock of the vaccines and most have agreements with countries first. When the vaccine does become available, it’ll be through government. #VaccineStrategy @MorningLiveSABC

— Department of Health: COVID-19 (@COVID_19_ZA) December 31, 2020