Covid-19 weekly round-up: Here’s what we know about CoronaVac

The CoronaVac vaccine has been approved for emergency use by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra).

CoronaVac, developed in China, is a two-dose vaccine for adults aged 18 to 59 and is administered 14-28 days apart.

Sahpra’s approval is conditional, as Sinovac is to submit final results of clinical studies and safety updates.

Unlike Pfizers’s RNA vaccine and Johnson & Johnson’s viral vector vaccine, CoronaVac uses an inactivated vaccine technology.

This vaccine uses a dead version of the virus but the proteins present in the virus are preserved to stimulate an immune response.

For this reason, according to the Gavi vaccine alliance, this type of vaccine is considered safer and more stable than live attenuated vaccines, and they can be given to people with compromised immune systems.

However, they may be weaker, less long-lived, and may require booster shots.

Sahpra said most of the side effects of the vaccine were mild or moderate, and cleared within a couple of days.

SA’s Covid-19 vaccines work better against Delta than Beta variant
South African health experts have said the vaccines in use in the country will work better against the Delta variant than the Beta variant.

The more-transmissible Delta variant is fast becoming the dominant variant in the country, replacing both the Alpha variant experienced in the first wave and Beta variant experienced in the second wave.

The variant, which was first detected in India at the end of March, is currently driving the increase of infections in the country's third wave.

Professor Penny Moore from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said several studies showed promising antibody responses to the Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccine.

Trials suggest that the more antibodies a person has, the better the vaccine has worked and the more protection it provides.

She said some studies have shown that antibodies increase over time with both the Delta and Beta variant.

Police sector to receive Covid-19 shots this week

With over 3.3 million people vaccinated in South Africa, this week it will be the turn for those employed in the South African Police Service (SAPS) to get their shots.

The Covid-19 vaccination rollout program for police officers kicked off today where officials and SAPS personnel lead the launch.

Police Minister, General Bheki Cele together with the Acting Minister of Health, Mmamoloko Kubayi formed part of the first group to receive their vaccines.

Starting from Thursday, 8 July, SAPS plans to vaccinate over 180 000 employees at the 108 registered vaccination sites across the country.

Police will be the next frontline group to be vaccinated after the country’s healthcare workers, education sector workers, and correctional services officers, who have been receiving their shots over the past few months and weeks.

Unions including the South African Policing Union (SAPU) and the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) have encouraged its members to receive their shots.

That’s 3 minutes, tune in next week for another roundup of the top Covid-19 stories.

kelly.turner@africannewsagency.com