Counties to start giving Covid-19 jabs this week

Paediatrician Lucy Kipkemei Tuisano prepares to vaccinate medical workers during the launch of the campaign at the Kenyatta National Hospital on Friday. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

County governments will start administering the Covid-19 vaccine this week as governors meet on Wednesday to discuss modalities of distribution.

Council of Governors chair Martin Wambora, said they would meet with the Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe to agree on modalities of distribution and coverage.

“We have 11 agendas but the Covid-19 vaccination is one of the main concerns to us. We shall be tabling our own ideas as well which include alternatives (for other Covid-19 vaccines),” said Wambora.

CoG Health Committee chairman Anyang' Nyong’o allayed fears that the vaccine was unsafe, saying the government cannot harm its people. "Therefore we urge Kenyans to stop spreading propaganda about the vaccine,"said Prof Nyongo.

Elsewhere, Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Mr Najib Balala said all workers in the hospitality industry are among those who will be vaccinated in the first phase.

Speaking at the Kilindini Cultural Centre, Mama Ngina Waterfront on Friday evening, Balala said he had informed the Cabinet of the need for staff in the hospitality industry to be classified as essential workers.

'"We are not having international guests at the moment. However, we are seeing a surge in hotel occupancy being taken up by local tourists. They to need to be protected from Covid-19 hence the need to have hotel staff who serve to get vaccinated," Balala said.

Tourism CS Najib Balala [Mose Sammy, Standard]

Frontline health workers in South rift will begin receiving their Covid-19 jabs tomorrow. The 57,000 doses of the vaccines were received at the government stores in Nakuru on Friday.

The depot stored vaccines to be supplied in Bomet, Kericho, Nakuru, Nyandarua and Samburu counties.

Nakuru has been allocated 30,000 doses, out of it, 27,000 will be distributed to the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital (PGH), and 3,000 to Lanet Military Hospital.

County referral hospitals in the counties of Bomet, Kericho, Nyandarua, and Samburu will receive 6,000, 12,000, 6,000 and 3,000 doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines respectively.

According to health officials, the first batch of vaccines will be administered on Monday.

First priority will be given to front-line workers among them healthcare workers, security personnel and teachers.

“Logistics to have first batch of 57,000 doses administered to front-line workers have been worked on,” said Nakuru County Nursing officer Virginia Njeng'a.

According to the regional vaccination schedule seen by The Sunday Standard, at least 30,000 doses will be administered in the first one week.

PGH is expected to administer 13, 500 doses in the first one week, 6,000 at Kericho County Hospital, 3,000 at Longisa, 3,000 at Nyahururu County Referral Hospital, with Samburu expected to administer 1,500.

In Kisumu, Health executive Boaz Nyunya said the county has received 15,000  vaccination doses.

"Kisumu has 4,000 health care providers. That dosage will be sufficient for them," said Nyunya.

On Tuesday, Kisumu County will start the first vaccination.

Kakamega, Bungoma, Vihiga and Busia counties will embark on administering Covid-19 vaccines today. They received 42, 000 doses of the vaccine on Thursday.

The first batch of the vaccines for the four counties was delivered at Kakamega regional storage facility at around midnight on Thursday according to the County Health Executive Dr Collins Matemba.

Kakamega will retain at least 12, 000 doses while the rest will be distributed among the remaining three counties according to the official.

The launch of the vaccine is part of the government’s efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Dr Matemba hailed the government efforts saying he was confident the vital vaccines would help contain the spread of Covid-19 spread and end the fear of a third wave.

“The government failed to act when scientists recommended a lock down and that resulted in spread of coronavirus but with the availability of the vaccine, we could arrest the situation,” said Matemba.

Kirinyaga County received 3,000 doses of the the 6,000 vaccines it has been allocated from the regional stores in Nyeri town.

The vaccines will be administered to health workers, teachers and the discipline forces.

Speaking in Kerugoya during a Covid-19 sensitisation George Karoki director public health and sanitation said the meeting was to strategise on how the committee will roll out Covid-19 vaccine.

“Kirinyaga County has today received 3,000 dozes of the vaccine part of the 6,000 that was allocated by the National government Health Ministry” said Karoki.

The vaccination will be administered in three phases and Kerugoya Hospital will be the main storage centre.

The vaccination will be done from the four sub-county hospitals within the county Kerugoya referral hospital, Kimbimbi sub county hospital, Kianyaga Hospital and Sagana Hospital.