South African activists slam J&J for exporting vaccines

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME
Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Health activists in Africa have slammed Johnson & Johnson for exporting vaccines produced in South Africa to countries in Europe, which have already immunized a large proportion of their populations and often have a surplus of vaccines. The J&J doses were exported from South Africa, where they had been assembled, despite the pressing need for vaccines across the continent where less than 3% of Africa’s 1.3 billion people have been fully vaccinated. The South African activists on Tuesday called for a full disclosure of the South African government’s contracts with Johnson & Johnson and other vaccine manufacturers and threatened legal action to get the information.