Moderna offers Covid-19 vaccines to SA says insider

By Antony Sguazzin

(Bloomberg) – Moderna offered to supply its coronavirus vaccine to South Africa, in what would be its first deal to sell shots to an African nation, a person familiar with the talks said. Discussions have started, though no deal has been concluded, the person said, asking not to be identified because a public announcement hasn’t been made.

Business Day newspaper reported that Moderna offered to sell South Africa 20 million doses, with the first arriving in May, citing a health activist from a group called the C19 People’s Coalition. “We’re talking to all the leading manufacturers whose candidates have or are likely to have emergency authorisation,” Lwazi Manzi, spokeswoman for Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, said by text message on Wednesday. “That includes Moderna.”

Read also: Moderna to bolster its vaccine to fight SA Covid-19 strain

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said this month his administration secured supplies from the Serum Institute of India, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. Still, there’s concern that the shots will arrive too late to prevent a third resurgence of the disease. Most vaccines are only likely to be delivered in the second half of the year, the person said.