Kenyans in Eldoret line up to get Covid-19 jab

Kenyans aged 58-years-old and above thronged hospitals in Uasin Gishu County to receive their Oxford/AstraZeneca jab.

The 16 vaccination centres in the county were open as early as 6am for commencement of registration followed by administering of the jab.

Among those vaccinated was Nerbert Muhia, a 70-year-old from Huruma Estate, who said he received the jab after witnessing most of his friends and relatives hospitalized and die from Covid-19.

“My friends are battling Covid-19 in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with several having died. I do not want to be a statistic. I am grateful to President Uhuru Kenyatta for reviewing policy on vaccination to include the elderly, because with this age, we experience a lot of health complications,” Muhia told the Standard Digital.

Health executive Evelyn Rotich said sensitization on uptake of the vaccine has been adapted to avert hesitancy that has been witnessed among frontline workers.

Sensitization is ongoing on local media stations, churches and issuance of public notices.

"We are happy that elderly people in the society have responded to the vaccination program. We are looking forward to creating a herd immunity, in the fight against the pandemic," the executive said.

In review of the vaccination policy, Dr Willis Akhwale, the chair of the Covid-19 Vaccine Development Taskforce, said the age bracket has been considered following a surge in hospitalization and fatalities during the third wave of the pandemic.

The Ministry noted that people above 58 are higher risk of severe disease and account for 60 per cent of current documented deaths.

“This group of persons will now be the priority target group under the ongoing Phase One vaccination exercise,” added Dr AKhwale.

Prioritization according to the ministry is in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Taskforce on Vaccination Deployment recommendations.