The Kenyan government has called upon its citizens to get vaccinated so that it can ease COVID-19 containment measures.
Health Chief Administrative Secretary Rashid Aman made the appeal on Monday after Kenya received the second batch of Moderna vaccine donations from the United States.
The 880,000 additional doses bring to 1.76 million doses that Kenya has so far received from the United States through the COVAX facility.
“The constraint we have been experiencing on vaccine shortages is slowly fading away. We expect to attain the 10 million target set by the President by December this year. This will help us consider relaxing some of the protocols we have put in place, We now ask people to show up and take the jab,” Dr. Rashid Aman said.
“For us to reopen our economy we need to have achieved herd immunity…government is doing its part to acquire vaccines…Kenyans should avail themselves to be vaccinated,” he added.
At the same time, Dr. Aman asked Kenyans to take the jab that is available at their nearest hospital without considering preferences on types of vaccines.
“No vaccine is superior to the other in the prevention of severe disease and death. Don’t focus on brand names…We expect to add the Pfizer vaccine that we will receive from the US government. All vaccines are equally good. Let us not be selective. We appeal to our county governments to support our efforts.”
