U.S. multinational corporation Johnson & Johnson has applied for an emergency use authorization from South Africa's regulator for its single-shot vaccine against the coronavirus, the African country's eNCA broadcaster reported on Monday.
According to the same source, the use of the vaccine may be approved in the next few days.
On Sunday, South Africa's Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said the government was putting on hold vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine over its reported ineffectiveness against the new coronavirus strain originating in the country.
In late January, Johnson & Johnson said that its vaccine candidate was 66% effective in preventing moderate to severe cases of COVID-19. The vaccine proved to be 85% effective in preventing severe disease and provided complete protection against hospitalization and death 28 days after the shot.
Last week, the company applied for the vaccine's authorization in the United States.
Source: MAP
