Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
THE first batch of procured Covid-19 doses is expected to land in the country today as Government intensifies vaccination of citizens against the global pandemic.
The Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe yesterday posted on Twitter a 21-second video of an Air Zimbabwe plane, which landed in Beijing to collect more vaccine doses.
“Air Zimbabwe plane has landed in Beijing. A larger delivery of #vaccines from #China will arrive tomorrow. Let’s keep the momentum in the vaccination programme and keep more Zimbabweans safe,” tweeted the embassy.
Government started the Covid-19 vaccination exercise about three weeks ago targeting frontline workers after receiving 200 000 Covid-19 vaccines from China.
China donated an additional 200 000 doses about two weeks ago while Government procured 600 000 vaccine doses from China.
An additional 1,2 million doses are also expected in the country as Zimbabwe seeks to vaccinate 10 million citizens to achieve herd immunity.
Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun posted on Twitter on Sunday that Air Zimbabwe flew to China to collect the purchased and donated Covid-19 doses.
“In the face of pandemic, acting with determination and speed is the key. Zimbabwean chartered flight will bring back the 2nd batch of China-donated Covid-19 vaccines as well as the first batch of procured Chinese vaccine,” tweeted Ambassador Guo.
President Mnangagwa on Sunday also posted on his Twitter account encouraging citizens to get vaccinated.
The President has said the country can only return to normalcy when citizens get vaccinated.
In an interview yesterday, national Covid-19 coordinator Dr Agnes Mahomva said the procurement of more Covid-19 vaccines shows Government’s commitment to decisively deal with the pandemic and getting the country to return to normal life.
“This means we are moving forward with our vaccination roll out. We started with a number of you (frontline worker) which clearly states that we would like to have 60 percent of the population vaccinated. Clearly, we are procuring vaccines and this is why we are receiving some tomorrow or the day after.
“But this is very much in line with our plan. We need to make sure we get enough vaccines so that we vaccinate the numbers that we want to protect our population.
“It’s a good move. We were not waiting for donations. Some people were saying we are waiting for donations from China and other people, some people seem to be confused about that. But at the end of the day, it’s the Government that is leading the process, it’s the Government which is going to procure a large percentage of vaccines to achieve herd immunity,” said Dr Mahomva.
She encouraged members of the public to be vaccinated saying taking the Covid-19 jab complements other prevention measures.
“We clearly are working hard to make sure the messages are out (to encourage the public to vaccinate). Even the President was out talking about it. People should be vaccinated, it’s just an additional preventive measure.
“We are saying the vaccines are not a magic bullet, we are saying let’s continue with measures that we have been implementing. Vaccines are just an additional preventive measure so people don’t have to relax and say we have been vaccinated and ignore other measures that we have been following.
“We need to continue with face masks, sanitise or wash hands with running water and still be vaccinated,” she said.
The country is implementing the first phase of the Covid-19 vaccination exercise which covers frontline workers who included health workers, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) officials, Customs and Immigration employees, judiciary officers, journalists and members of the security sector.
Last Tuesday, Cabinet announced that the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe has approved the use of Sinopharm and Sinovac from China, Covaxin from India and Russia’s Sputnik-V for use in the country.
Cabinet also approved the start of the second phase of the Covid-19 exercise. — @nqotshili
Online Reporter