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Deputy President William Ruto has become the latest politician and government official to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.
DP Ruto shared two photos of himself and his wife getting vaccinated at their Karen residence.
However, in his tweet, he did not indicate whether it was the Oxford-AstraZeneca or Sputnik vaccine.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta received their first dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccination at State House, Nairobi, on March 26.
The live televised vaccination also saw a handful of Cabinet ministers including Interior’s Fred Matiang'i and his Health Counterpart Mutahi Kagwe among other members of the executive vaccinated.
Kenya has received 1.1 million AstraZeneca doses from an Indian government donation and the Covax project. By March 26, 90,340 shots had been administered.
Kenyans who have received the Covid-19 jab have not reported adverse side-effects so far besides pain at the injection site, headache, tiredness and muscle ache, according to Cabinet Administrative Secretary Dr Mercy Mwangangi.
In other countries mostly in Europe, investigations have been launched regarding people experiencing blood clots.
Early this month, Denmark suspended administering Oxford/AstraZeneca jab following fears of a blood clot, but “it is noteworthy that a number of countries such as Canada, Spain, Italy, France and Belgium have resumed its use,” said Dr Mwangangi.
Dr Mwangangi told the Senate Committee on Health chaired by Kisumu Senator Fred Outa two weeks ago that the Ministry is monitoring any side effects of the vaccine.
“The Ministry of Health, supported by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board is monitoring for reported side effects and so far, no significant side effects that would warrant investigations and/or deaths have been reported," said the CAS.
Meanwhile, healthcare workers fear Kenya might not attain Covid-19 herd immunity due to hesitance in the uptake of the vaccine.
The workers' representatives told the Senate Standing Committee on Health that their low uptake of the jab might hamper the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination rollout as acceptability of the vaccine among healthcare employees is only at five per cent.
Kenya Professional Nurses Association's representative Triza Ireri told the Senate committee, chaired by Ledama Olekina, that a survey they conducted revealed that 80 per cent of nurses said they would not be vaccinated.
Reasons cited for low uptake include lack of involvement in the rollout process, lack of sensitisation and training on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.
Others said taking the jab was voluntary and hence they were exercising freedom of choice.
About 45 per cent of nurses surveyed said they would advise their families to wait, while 13 per cent said they would advise against the jab.
Ms Ireri told the Committee that “nurses and healthcare workers are not believing in the vaccines, yet they are the ones to give the right information to the public.”
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