Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize confirmed that the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines will reach South Africa next week. According to the Minister, one-million doses will land on February 1, and this marks the start of the country’s biggest-ever vaccination drive.

Currently, the government has set a target of 40-million to be vaccinated within the year, as this will help the country reach COVID-19 herd immunity. Frontline workers will be vaccinated first, along with “vulnerable citizens”.

Many have now said the vaccines are following “the Gupta Route”. Here is why:

– The AstraZeneca shots have been procured from the Serum Institute in India, where it will be arriving via plane transportation.

– The vaccines will have a stopover in Dubai.

– From Dubai, the jabs will land at OR Tambo International Airport – these are all places that have homed the infamous Gupta brothers, who are still fugitives.

Jokes aside, the vaccine arrivals form part of South Africa’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The second wave peaked in January and is showing signs of steady decline.

Picture: Pixabay

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Lucinda is a hard news writer who occasionally dabbles in lifestyle writing, and recent journalism graduate. She is a proud intersectional feminist, and is passionate about actively creating a world which is free of discrimination and inequality.