Africa’s CDC Director ‘Optimistic’ U.S. Will Release COVID Vaccines Soon

Africa’s CDC Director ‘Optimistic’ U.S. Will Release COVID Vaccines Soon

Africa's CDC director Dr. John Nkengasong said he was "positive and optimistic" the hold on 1.1 million Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines in South Africa would be lifted soon during a press conference Tuesday.

The U.S. placed a hold on the doses, which are currently detained at a plant, following suspicions of contamination at a Baltimore factory. Nkengasong said there will be more transparency on the "findings from the manufacturing site" by the end of the week.

Following lagging vaccine shipments throughout the continent exacerbated by the J&J hold, the Mastercard Foundation announced Tuesday it would funnel $1.3 billion in purchasing and providing doses for residents of Africa. The Toronto-based nonprofit said it would obtain J&J vaccines using the African Union's discounted rate for 220 million vaccines with the developer.