Kenya receives 880,320 more Moderna vaccine doses from the US » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya Sep 6 – Kenya received the second batch of 880,320 COVID-19 Moderna vaccine doses Monday, as efforts to vaccinate at least 10 million people by December intensify.

The vaccines acquired with the assistance of the US government through the COVAX facility that is helping the African Union acquire vaccines for the continent.

They were received at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) by Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr. Rashid Aman CDC Country Director Mark Bulterys accompanied by other officials.

“The Kenya government appreciates the support and assistance of the donation we are receiving today from the US government. This donation will be of great help to us,” Dr Aman said.

Aman said Kenya has so far received 5,146,780 various vaccine doses including Astrazeneca and Johnson.

“The vaccine constraints we were facing as a country are now fading away,” he said, expressing optimism that the government will meet its target of vaccinating 10 million people by December as pledged by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Aman has urged more people turn up for the vaccines, explaining that “It is through having more people vaccinated that we will know we are managing this pandemic and we can then relax some of the protocols.”

Kenya is still under a night curfew with restrictions on hotels, bars and restaurants operating hours.

There is also a government ban on public gatherings which continue to be flouted by top politicians in the country with nothing done to stop them.

“Those who have taken the first dose, should come out to get the second dose. Full protection comes when you are fully vaccinated. The government is doing its part to acquire vaccines and on their part, Kenyans should avail themselves so that they are vaccinated,” Aman said.

He assured that all vaccines deployed in Kenya have been approved by WHO and no vaccine is superior to the other.

“So we urge Kenyans when they go out to get vaccinated they should not be insisting on specific vaccines,” he said.

Kenya now has three types of vaccines Astrazeneca, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson.

“We also expect very soon to add Pfizer against a donation that we are expecting from the US government.

so there will be a variety of vaccines available. They are all equally good in protecting you from the severe corona disease,” he said.

By September 5, 2050,377 people had been vaccinated.

CDC Country Director Mark Bulterys  said more donations will be sent to Kenya.

“This shipment contains the second consignment of 880,000 Moderna doses bringing the total shipment to 1.76 million Moderna vaccine doses. This is part of the Biden-Haris administration’s commitment to help combat covid around the globe and is based on the strong partnership that the US government and Kenya have built over the years.”