AU announces rollout of 400 million COVID-19 vaccine doses

With the rising numbers, the African continent has now received a shot in the arm, after the African Union announced a major breakthrough securing 220 Million Doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine with the potential of an additional 180Million doses meant to be distributed across its member states.

The major vaccine purchase is funded by a 2 Billion US dollar facility by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)

Announcing the dates of the shipment, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said :

“This is a momentous step forward in Africa’s efforts to safeguard the health and well-being of its people. By working together and pooling resources, African Countries have been able To secure millions of vaccine doses produced right here in Africa. This will provide the impetus to the fight against Covid-19 across the continent,”

6.4 Million doses are set to be shipped across Africa this month with the AU targeting to deliver 50 Million Johnson & Johnson vaccines by December this year. The African Union further projects a 25M shipment of doses monthly beginning January 2021.

In the meantime, Kenya has recorded 1,571 new infections from a sample size of 9,065 tested. This represents a high positivity rate of 17.3%. 3 Deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours and 29 dates were captured under late audits. At the same time 4,497 patients recovered while 1,618 are still receiving treatment in various facilities

Elsewhere, the Ministry of Health has raised concern over a spike of new COVID-19 infections in schools.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe is urging teachers to get vaccinated as the country expects a vaccine boost in the coming weeks.

Kagwe spoke after holding talks with his Tanzanian counterpart Dr Dorothy Gwajima on how best to contain COVID-19 in Kenya and Tanzania.

A surge in new COVID-19 infections in schools and in the counties has the Ministry of Health warning Kenyans against dropping guard.

CS Mutahi Kagwe who held talks with his Tanzanian counterpart Minister Dorothy Gwajima on Thursday, saying the situation is better off managed if teachers heeded the call to be vaccinated.

“What we have observed is that the problem comes when students pass the virus to the teachers, we hopefully will see more teachers get vaccinated,” CS Kagwe said.

Kagwe and Gwajima held talks on how best to collaborate to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the two countries and ease trade between the two neighbours

“Tanzanians are our brothers and sisters…we are collaborating in many areas,” CS Kagwe added.

“Tatizo hili wa ugonjwa wa Covid-19 ni suala moja ambayo imetuleta hapa,” Dr Dorothy Gwajima, Tanzania’s Health Minister said.