LIST OF KENYANS TO GET PRIORITY IN COVID 19 VACCINE

Ministry of Health has revealed that teachers and police officers are among the first group of Kenyans to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

This comes after the government ordered 24 million doses of Covid 19 vaccine which is projected to cover 20 percent of the country’s population.

According to the Health Ministry, the consignment of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine is set to arrive in the country in January.

Health workers, police officers, the elderly and teachers will be the first to receive the vaccine as the groups are at high risk of contracting the virus.

Groups of people who come into contact with crowds and those with two or more medical conditions will also be the first to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe explained why the country settled on the Oxford University-AstraZeneca as opposed to the Pfizer vaccine.

“The ministry and the Kenya Medical Research Institute are carrying out tests. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine can be stored in an ordinary fridge, unlike the Pfizer one, which has to be kept in extremely cold temperatures of -70 degrees Celsius,” noted Kagwe.

The vacvine is also cheaper compared to the Pfizer one with doses set to cost a total of Ksh10 billion and each estimated to cost about Ksh320.

Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (Gavi) supported Kenya with more than Ksh25 billion vaccines, injection devices and Ksh4 billion in direct cash since 2001.

“The ministry and the Kenya Medical Research Institute are carrying out tests. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine can be stored in an ordinary fridge, unlike the Pfizer one, which has to be kept in extremely cold temperatures of -70 degrees Celsius,” noted Kagwe.

The vaccine is also cheaper compared to the Pfizer  one with doses set to cost a total of Ksh10 billion and each estimated to cost about Ksh320.

Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (Gavi) supported Kenya with more than Ksh25 billion vaccines, injection devices and Ksh4 billion in direct cash since 2001.

Gavi revealed that a dose of the vaccine procured through Covax, will go for Ksh700.

This comes after Kenyan-born and trained doctor, Dr. Stella Ogake joined the first group of health workers who got the much anticipated Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine  that was rolled out in the US on Monday, December 14.   

Source: Kenyans.co.ke

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