Roundup: Kenyans’ acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine rises amid threats posed by third wave

NAIROBI, April 2 (Xinhua) – Demand for inoculation against the novel coronavirus among Kenyan citizens has increased in recent times amid pressure from national leaders and nervousness over a third wave marked by an increase in infections and death.

A public largely skeptical when the vaccine doses arrived in the country in early March have now enthusiastically embraced them as evidenced by multitudes who brave long lines and tough elements to get vaccinated.

Kenya received approximately 1.02 million AstraZeneca COVID vaccines as part of the COVAX facility on March 2, to pave the way for inoculation of high-risk groups, including healthcare workers, teachers and security personnel.

Statistics from the Department of Health indicate that 196,435 people had received the COVID vaccine as of April 2, while plans were underway to vaccinate 50,000 people per day.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, who led senior government officials for a public vaccination exercise against the virus on March 26, urged citizens to get vaccinated.

“I urge members of the public to ignore misinformation and rumors and get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The vaccine is safe and it is a powerful weapon that can help us beat this pandemic, ”Kenyatta said in a televised speech on March 26 when he announced new measures to help contain the pandemic.

He said people aged 58 and over will be included in the initial phase of COVID-19 vaccination, adding that the wider population will be prioritized when the second batch of vaccines arrives in the country in May.

Kenya is among the African countries that have recorded remarkable enthusiasm for the COVID-19 vaccine despite initial apathy which was largely driven by skepticism about its safety and effectiveness.

Mutahi Kagwe, cabinet secretary at the health ministry, said the government had robust systems in place to facilitate the smooth deployment of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“The vaccination exercise targeting frontline workers like doctors, nurses, police, military and teachers has gone smoothly and we plan to cover other population groups soon,” Mutahi said. .

Mutahi said Kenya was considering approving different COVID-19 vaccines to be administered to the public provided they meet the threshold for safety and efficacy set by local regulatory agencies.

Recently, Kenyans have flocked to vaccination sites across the country to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, urged on by public figures.

Initial reluctance to get the blow eased as President Uhuru Kenyatta, cabinet ministers and other national leaders took the blow publicly while encouraging ordinary citizens to follow suit to help the country tame the infections. and deaths caused by the third wave.

Local media report that a stockout has been seen at some inoculation sites amid a huge increase in members of the public wanting to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and boost their immunity to the virus.

Willis Akhwale, chair of the COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Task Force, said the government has invested in robust infrastructure and manpower to ensure the inoculation exercise does not stop amid high public participation.

“We have invested in cold chain infrastructure and personnel in all counties to support the smooth rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. There have been isolated cases of stockouts due to high demand for the vaccine. vaccine, but the problem is being resolved, ”Akhwale told a recent briefing in Nairobi. Enditem