South Africa Rejects Sputnik V Covid Vaccine Due to HIV Risk

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —

South African health product regulator (South Africa) said it would not agree vaccine Sputnik V covid-19 made in Russia on Monday (18/10). The refusal was due to concerns that the use of the vaccine could increase the risk of HIV infection in men.

The decision was taken in light of previous research that tested the safety of a modified form of adenovirus – a type of virus that causes respiratory infections – known as Ad5 and contained in vaccines.

“The use of the Sputnik V vaccine in South Africa, with its high prevalence and incidence of HIV, may increase the risk of vaccinated men contracting HIV,” the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority said in a statement. AFP.

The authorities added that the company behind the use of the Sputnik V vaccine in South Africa had no evidence that the formula would be safe “in high HIV prevalence settings”.

For the record, the country worst hit by the pandemic in Africa also has the highest number of people living with HIV in the world.

At the same time, local authorities are battling vaccine hesitancy. The target is that more than a quarter of the 40 million will be vaccinated by early 2022.

This week, South Africa vaccinated children aged at least 12 years and offered booster injections to certain immunocompromised citizens.

The COVID-19 vaccines currently being used in South Africa are single-dose Johnson & Johnson, which also contains adenovirus but of a different type, and Pfizer/BioNTech rMNA injections. In addition, the government also approved the use of the Sinovac vaccine made in China.

For information, the World Health Organization (WHO) has not given permission for the emergency use of the Sputnik V vaccine. However, this vaccine has been administered in at least 45 countries.

(afp / sfr)

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