NEHAWU statement on the temporary suspension of the Johnson and Johnson vaccination rollout 

13 April 2021

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) notes the decision by the South African government to temporarily suspend the use of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine after six female recipients of the vaccine developed blood clots in the United States of America (USA).

As NEHAWU, we appreciate the timeous reporting by the Department of Health and we hope that this will ease any anxiety felt by those who have already been vaccinated. We call on the department to monitor all frontline workers who have received the vaccine and also urge frontline workers to report any sickness they may suspect to be from the vaccine.

Furthermore, we call on the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) to continue checking and confirming the safety of vaccines that are given to our people. We hope that the Pfizer-BioNTech jabs that are expected at the beginning of May 2020 will be thoroughly checked if they are safe to use in completing our first phase of vaccination including phase two and three.

The national union reiterates its call for the government to look at other countries for vaccines. Our search for effective and safe vaccines must also consider Cuba, China and Russia. With the third wave very imminent it is very imperative to move with speed in securing vaccines in order to reach herd immunity.

Once again, we call on our people not to be complacent because of the recent low numbers of transmissions. The coronavirus continues to kill our people and we need to continue to protect ourselves and our loved ones from contracting the virus. In this regard, we call on all our people to continue to stay safe and practice non-pharmaceutical interventions like wearing a mask, social distancing and the washing of hands with soap for 20 seconds or using an alcohol based sanitizer. 

Issued by Khaya Xaba, National Spokesperson, NEHAWU, 13 April 2021