J&J has applied to South Africa for registering COVID-19 vaccine, says regulator

[December 14, 2020]  CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa's pharmaceutical regulator SAHPRA said on Monday it has received its first application to register a COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson.

Chief Executive of South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) Boitumelo Semete told a news conference the regulator would focus on "safety, quality and efficacy" of a vaccine.

South Africa is currently the worst-hit country in the continent in terms of coronavirus infections and has entered a second wave.

(Reporting by Wendell Roelf)

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