COVID 19 vaccines expected to arrive this Friday

By Shamim Nateebwa

The ministry of health has announced that COVID-19 vaccination will begin on the 10th of March after the arrival of the initial batch of 864,000 doses of the AstraZeneca expected on Friday March 5th.

Addressing the media at the ministry’s headquarters, Minister Dr Jane Ruth Acheng said Uganda targets to vaccinate 49.6% of the population which is about 21,936,011 people, in a phased manner.

Each phase will cover 20% of the population which is about 4,387,202 people, with the eligible population lying within the age range of 18 years and above.

She added that the second group will be the teachers who will be required to access vaccines from the nearest public health facility starting from Health Center IIIs up to a National Referral hospitals.

While the third category will include people of 18-50 years with underlying health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer as well as organ diseases (Liver or Kidney among others).

Achieng has emphasized that vaccines will be given to eligible persons 8 weeks apart (56 days).

However, this can be extended up to 12 weeks as recommended by the World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunizations.

The minister has assured the public that the vaccine is safe though there’s so far no data to prove this.

Written by Noelyn Nassuuna