AstraZeneca resumes COVID-19 vaccine trials in South Africa, health dept says

Mfuneko Toyana
·1-min read
A syringe with a vaccine is seen ahead of trials by volunteers testing for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and taking part in the country's human clinical trial for potential vaccines at the Wits RHI Shandukani Research Centre in Johannesburg

By Mfuneko Toyana

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - AstraZeneca has resumed COVID-19 vaccine trials in South Africa, more than a week after tests were paused due to serious side effects in a participant in Britain, an official at the country's Department of Health told Reuters on Tuesday.

The move, confirmed to Reuters by director of affordable medicines in the health department, Khadija Jamaloodien, comes after the British drugmaker on Saturday got the go-ahead to restart trials in the UK, prompting Brazil to follow suit.

Tests remain on hold in the United States pending an investigation and the Serum Institute of India said it would restart its trials once it had permission from the Drugs Controller General of India.

(Reporting by Mfuneko Toyana; Writing by Josephine Mason in London; editing by David Evans)

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