South African firm to make Pfizer vaccine, first in Africa

Pfizer says a South African firm will begin producing the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine

JOHANNESBURG -- A South African firm will begin producing the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, the first time that the shot will be produced in Africa, Pfizer announced Wednesday. The Biovac Institute based in Cape Town will manufacture the vaccine for distribution across Africa, in a move that should help address the continent's desperate need for more vaccine doses amid a recent surge of cases. Biovac will receive large batch ingredients for the vaccine from Europe and will blend the components, put them in vials and package them for distribution. The production will begin in 2022 with a goal of reaching more than 100 million finished doses annually. Biovac's production of doses will be distributed among the 54 countries of Africa. The development is “a critical step” in increasing African's access to an effective COVID-19 vaccine, Biovac chief executive Dr. Morena Makhoana said.