NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 2- The Ministry of Trade and Industrialization has appealed to the business community to strictly adhere to the COVID-19 protocols as the country battles the fourth wave of the virus.
Speaking during a press conference on Monday, Industrialization Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina said this will prevent the imposition of stringent measures that would negatively affect the sector.
“If we keep the surge of infections under control by observing the containment measures, we shall be able to continue with our business operations besides saving on medical expenses and loss of man hours. Non-adherence is likely to lead to spread of the virus hence necessitating stringent measures that will further curtail business operations,” Maina said.
She further assured that the manufacturing industry will continue producing critical COVID-19 protective essentials to help in the fight against the spread of the virus.
“The manufacturing sector is also very committed to supplying medical products and supplies used in the management of the COVID-19 cases. My message is simple, I implore you our partners and stakeholders ‘Be part of the solution’. If we can’t do it ourselves, no outsider will come to help us keep our business environment safe,” Maina urged.
By August 1, the country had recorded 203,680 COVID-19 infections with 3,946 fatalities and 189, 131 recoveries.
A total of 1.7 million people had been vaccinated.
Kenya’s vaccination campaign against COVID-19 got a major boost Saturday after receiving 410, 000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the United Kingdom.
The consignment was received at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) by Health Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi alongside British Deputy High Commissioner to Kenya Josephine Gauld among other top government officials.
The donation is part of 817,000 doses that President Uhuru Kenyatta secured during his three-day visit to London this week.
Gauld; “The consignment is the first batch of the 817,000 doses for Kenya with a further donation of 407,000 doses from the UK expected in the country via the COVAX facility.”
The remaining half of the doses which were donated through the COVAX facility were expected to arrive in the country in the coming days ahead.
Kenya, just like many African countries, has only vaccinated less than 1.5 percent of its population. Kenya is also expecting to receive 1,760,000 doses of Pfizer from the US government.
A further 235,000 doses of AstraZeneca are expected in the country from Greece with an extra 55,000 doses of AstraZeneca set to arrive in the country from Lativia as part of bilateral donations.
The Covax facility has also allocated to Kenya 407,040 doses of AstraZeneca and 271,440 doses of Pfizer.
This is besides the 13 million doses of Johnson and Johnson procured by the government through the AVAT-AU mechanism, whose delivery will start this month.
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