Nakuru starts administering Covid-19 vaccine to health workers

Nakuru County has this morning begun administering the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine to health workers.

The County Chief Nursing Officer, Virginia Ngenga, has said the vaccination exercise kicked off smoothly in the morning, at the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital (PGH) approximating to vaccinate about 11,000 health care workers, county health management team, drivers, cleaners and other hospital employees.

Nakuru County received a total of 30,000 doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, out of it, 3,000 doses will be supplied to Lanet Regional Military Hospital.

In a weeks’ time, about 500 employees will receive the jab.

Health worker in Nakuru receives Covid-19 vaccine at the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital (PGH) [Courtesy]

"All employees have turned up for vaccination, an exercise that will be rolled out in other hospitals across the eleven sub-counties," Ms Ngenga has said.

Acting County Director Public Health and Sanitation Elizabeth Kiptoo asked the public to continue observing Covid-19 containment measures, irrespective of the availability of the vaccine.

Health workers in Nakuru County queue for the Covid- 19 vaccine at Rift valley provincial General hospital  [Joseph Kipsang, Standard]

"We still urge the public to wear face masks, clean their hands with soap and water and keep social distancing in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic," said Ms Kiptoo.

Nakuru has a cumulative infection of 4,961, 102 deaths, with a positivity rate of 9.3 per cent. 

Doctor administers Covid-19 vaccine at Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital (PGH) [Courtesy]