NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 2 – Kenya received 2.2 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine Thursday as donation from the German government through the Covax facility.
The consignment was received by Ministry of Health officials led by Kenya’s COVID-19 Vaccine Taskforce Chairperson, Dr. Willis Akhwale.
Kenya has so far vaccinated over 7.1 million people against the virus that has killed 5,335 people in the country.
The uptake of the vaccine in the country has in recent days been on the rise following a government warning on an intended decision to lock out those who won’t have been inoculated by December 21 from accessing key services.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on November 21 announced that those who fail to take vaccines will be denied access to public transport and hotels beginning December 21.
He further announced that the government will also withhold key services including those offered by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) among other agencies.
“Everybody seeking in person government services should be fully vaccinated and proof of vaccination availed by December 21, 2021. Such services will include but not limited to, KRA services, education, immigration services, hospital and prison visitation, NTSA and port services among others,” he said.
Kagwe pointed out that some of the directives are derived from the Public Health Act which he said empowers the ministry to take such drastic measures especially during a pandemic.
The CS said the move is aimed at protecting government workers and service providers in other sectors insisting “those who have been vaccinated will not risk their lives serving those who have refused to be vaccinated”.
Kenya is on high alert after the discovery of the COVID-19 Omicron variant which was first reported by South Africa.
The government has since intensified its surveillance protocols to tame the spread of the new variant which has cast a shadow of uncertainty across world economies.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has since said it could take several weeks to understand whether or not Omicron is more transmissible, and whether it results in a more severe disease – as well as how effective current treatments and vaccines are against it.