The J&J vaccines will be administered as an observational study, in which no placebo shots will be given and the health and future infections of all participants will be tracked, say health experts.

Tests so far suggest the J&J vaccine is safe and effective at preventing severe illness or death from COVID-019.

Another 500,000 J&J doses are expected to be flown to South Africa within four weeks for the vaccination campaign.

More than 380,000 health care workers have already registered for vaccination, Mkhize said. The first phase of South Africa’s campaign is to vaccinate the country’s 1.25 million health care workers.

“We salute the health care workers who have chosen vaccination for their own protection and the protection of their colleagues, families and community members,” Mkhize said, encouraging all front-line health workers to register on the government’s internet site.

South Africa has set up 20 vaccination centers in its nine provinces to inoculate the 80,000 …continued .
[Source: Washington Post]