By Reuters Staff

       1 Min Read

       FILE PHOTO: A vial labelled with the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine is seen in this illustration picture taken March 19, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

       CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa’s Biovac Institute is aiming to start production of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech in the second half of next year, its chief executive officer said on Wednesday.

       Morena Makhoana told Reuters the Cape Town-based firm would ramp up production of the COVID-19 vaccine before reaching output of 100 million doses a year around early 2023.

       Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Editing by Alexander Winning

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