South Africa Starts Vaccinating With their Leader

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was among the first in his country to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, effectively joining an observational study because the Johnson & Johnson vaccine he was given is not yet authorized for general use anywhere in the world.

It did not hurt a bit, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Wednesday, shortly after he became one of the first South Africans to receive the hot-off-the-plane coronavirus vaccine at a public clinic in Cape Town’s sprawling Khayelitsha township. 

 “At first, I was a bit terrified of this long needle that was going to be imbedded into my arm, but it happened so quickly, so easily, it was just a prick on my flesh, and I really did not feel much pain,” he said.

The 68-year-old president did ask the nurse if he could close his eyes before getting the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine in his left arm, just hours after 80,000 doses of the vaccine landed in South Africa. He smiled and laughed as she administered the shot. The crowd clapped.

As we are all aware that 20,000 doses of vaccine are on the way to Eswatini and we might as be seeing our leaders leading and being the first to take the vaccine before they are rolled out as per plan.