Even assuming that government procures 80 million doses of vaccine for the 40 million targeted, these are unlikely to become available in substantial quantities until April. And assuming the government started vaccinating people from April 1, 150,000 people would have to get the jab each day, seven days a week, for the first month. And after that, that number would have to climb to 300,000 people each and every day right through to the end of 31st of December 2021 as most vaccines would require a two dose schedule. No country other than Israel has come close to 150,000 jabs per day, let alone 300,000. Even countries such as the UK and the US have been struggling to vaccinate even up to 50,000 per day.
AuthorShabir A. Madhi
Professor of Vaccinology and Director of the SAMRC Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytical Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand.