The fight against the Coronavirus has finally begun.
After 11 months of being gripped by fear, sickness, death and a socially and economically devastating lockdown, the news this week of South Africa's first vaccinations being administered offers us all hope for a healthy future.
This week President Cyril Ramaphosa was seen getting his shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, along with nurses at the Khayelitsha Hospital.
Healthcare workers at hospitals around the country got their jabs after the first 80 000 doses arrived from the US on Tuesday night.
Government is kicking off its vaccination programme with J&J vaccines after it took a decision to put AstraZeneca vaccines on hold last week.
This after AstraZeneca proved to be ineffective in combating the 501Y.V2 variant, which has become the dominant Covid-19 strain locally.
In the next four weeks, SA is expected to receive 500 000 more J&J doses.
SA has secured 9 million J&J doses, 12 million vaccine doses from the Covax facility, 20 million doses from Pfizer, as well as through the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team.
So, like it or not, it looks like government is banking on this to be our ticket out of this global crisis.
Let's hope it's for the best. Good luck with the rollout.
But before you get in line for your jab, it's important to know all we can about the J&J vaccine.
Here's a Q&A about J&J:
How effective is it?
According to J&J clinical trial results, the vaccine was 57% effective against moderate to severe disease in South Africa, and 89% efficient against severe disease and death.
Nearly all of the cases were infections with the new variant. The testing was done on 44 325 people from the US, Latin America and South Africa.
How many doses do I have to take? Only one.
How does the vaccine work? It works by using the harmless adenovirus - which is a group of viruses that cause the common cold - to mimic the Coronavirus.
When the body encounters the modified adenovirus, it will mount a long-lasting immune response against the virus by producing immune cells and antibodies.
In the future, if the body encounters the Coronavirus, the body will be able to respond faster and more effectively, as immune cells and antibodies will be rapidly produced in the body to prevent illness.
Does it require a deep-freeze? No, regular refrigeration will do. It is long-lasting and doesn't expire as quickly as AstraZeneca.
How much does it cost?According to the US' deal, J&J priced its vaccine at about $10 (R150) per dose.
How long does it take to work? Protection from infection can start from as early as 14 days after the injection, with full protection 28 days after the jab.
According to Business Insider, as many as 300 million doses could be packaged in a Port Elizabeth factory, from as early as March.
This is all the available knowledge on the J&J vaccine, published by the manufacturer, the SA government and leading international publications.
The indications are promising, but if you are sceptical, it is your right to refuse the vaccination.
As the president said, no one can force you to take the jab. but, do yourself a favour, do your own research and follow the science.
If you find a compelling article, study or theory - that is backed by evidence - share it.
What you mustn't do, however, is go onto social media and share crackpot conspiracies and fake news about vaccines that have no basis in science.
Ask yourself: where does this information come from?; who is the publisher?; were any experts interviewed?; is there any data/evidence to back it up?
You don't want to spoil it for the rest who are desperate to find a way out of this nightmare.