South Africa will resume its Johnson and Johnson Covid vaccine rollout following recommendations from its cabinet and the health regulatory authority.

“It has since been established there is a one-in-a-million chance of getting the clot after the vaccine, and that it appears that women between the ages of 18 and 48 years old are particularly at risk.

“With such a low probability of developing a clot, all the regulators across the world have recommended the continued use of Johnson and Johnson,” Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement on Monday announcing the resumption.

The authorities will however work “to ensure that there is intensified pre-vaccination assessment and post vaccination monitoring when the rollout is resumed”, he said.

The number of vaccination sites will also be expanded across the country once the vaccination resumes.

The country suspended its Johnson and Johnson vaccination programme two weeks ago over concerns that the jab could cause blood clots.