‘South Africa rejects Russian Sputnik vaccine over HIV fears’ 18 October 2021

South Africa's health products regulator on Monday said it would not approve Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine due to concerns it could increase the risk of HIV infection among men. The decision was based on earlier studies testing the safety of a modified form of adenovirus -- a type of virus that causes respiratory infections -- known as the Ad5 and contained in the Russian jab. "Use of the Sputnik V vaccine in South Africa, a setting of a high HIV prevalence and incidence, may increase the risk of vaccinated males acquiring HIV," the South African Health Product Regulatory Authority said in a statement. It added that the company behind the application for the use of Sputnik V in South Africa had no proof the formula would be safe "in settings of high HIV prevalence".

… South Africa is this week set to begin vaccinating children as young as 12 and offering booster shots to certain immuno-compromised citizens. It is currently offering the single-dose Johnson & Johnson -- which also contains an adenovirus but of a different type -- and the rMNA Pfizer/BioNTech jab. The Chinese-made Sinovac has also been approved. The World Health Organization has not yet given Sputnik V the green light for emergency use, although it is being administered in at least 45 countries.