South Africa has signed an agreement to buy 20 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech dual-shot COVID-19 vaccine, a senior government official said on Tuesday, boosting plans to ramp up vaccinations from this month.

The deal is a boost for the country worst hit by coronavirus infections in Africa, as it adds to 31 million doses of Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot vaccine that the government has already secured.

The first batch from Pfizer is expected to arrive later in April, Anban Pillay, deputy director-general at the Department of Health, told Reuters.

He said he was not allowed to disclose the price, but another person involved in vaccine negotiations said it was roughly US$10 a dose.

Pfizer did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

With the J&J and Pfizer deals, the government will have enough vaccines for 41 million people, out of its population of around 60 million.

Source: Further Africa