JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s health minister says the country will begin administering the unapproved Johnson & Johnson vaccine to its front-line health workers next week. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said Wednesday that South Africa scrapped its plans to use the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine because it “does not prevent mild to moderate disease” of the variant dominant in South Africa. Speaking at the European Parliament on Wednesday, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said she was sorry for the confusion. ___TOKYO — Japan will begin administering the COVID-19 vaccine next week, with medical experts at the pandemic’s frontlines the first recipients. South Africa’s health minister announced the country will begin administering the unapproved Johnson & Johnson vaccine to its front-line healthcare workers next week.

Source: Egypt Independent February 10, 2021 11:26 UTC