China Donates 300,000 CoronaVac Doses to South African Army

(Bloomberg) -- China offered the South African National Defence Force 300,000 doses of the CoronaVac vaccine, which only has conditional approval from the nation’s health regulator.

The shots have yet to be delivered because the donation is still subject to certain unspecified protocols, Department of Health spokesman Foster Mohale said by phone on Tuesday. The donation was earlier reported by news website Daily Maverick. 

Only Pfizer Inc. and Johnson & Johnson shots are currently being used in South Africa’s vaccination program. The nation is experiencing a fourth wave of infections driven by the omicron variant, which was first detected in South Africa last month.

Earlier this year, the SANDF was ordered by South Africa’s health regulator to return 200 million rand ($12.4 million) worth of the Covid drug Heberon to Cuba. The medication isn’t registered for use in the country. 

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.