Kenya receives 182,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from France

Kenya receives 182,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from France

After coming to a virtual halt in early June owing to the situation in India, vaccine shipments are gathering momentum in Kenya as in the rest of Africa.

France’s donation through COVAX, of 182, 400 doses of the AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria) vaccine, a consignment that will expire on October 31 was received on Thursday at the JKIA.

“There is good intake of the vaccine in Kenya, so we are very glad to be part of this.” Emmanuel Dagron, French political counsellor, said on Thursday

These vaccines are largely to be used as a second dose in Kenya’s vaccine programme.

According to vaccine manufacturers, the AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria) and Covishield vaccine from the serum institute of India are both produced with the same specifications using the same same ingredients.

Covishield, however, doesn’t have a sales licence in the European Union.

Can one receive the Vaxzevria vaccine as a second dose if they received Covishield as the first dose.?

According to Dr. Willis Akhwale of the vaccine taskforce, the two doses are the same, just from different manufacturers.

In the last two weeks, more than 1.6 million doses have been delivered to Africa through the COVAX facility.

Africa expects more than 20 million doses of Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines to arrive from the United States through COVAX in coordination with the African Union.

Kenya is expecting more donations of the Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines, to reach its target of vaccinating 10 million Kenyans by the end of this year.

“There is still a long way to go. So far, 50 million doses have been administered in Africa, accounting for just 1.6% of doses globally. Sixteen million, or less than 2%, of Africans are now fully vaccinated. This means that hundreds of millions of people are still vulnerable to infection.” Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Africa Region Coordinator, said on Thursday.

In the last 24 hours, 566 more people have tested positive for COVID-19…..the highest caseload being in Nairobi with 200 cases, Kericho  64 and Mombasa 37.

From a sample size of 5344, the test positivity rate is 10.6%.11 deaths have been recorded, with 1 having occurred in the past 24 hours bringing Kenya’s fatalities to 3716.

500,311 people have received their second dose, with only 1.92% of adults having been fully vaccinated.

 

 

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