The ManicaPost
Post Reporter
THE ongoing national vaccination programme has been embraced in rural areas across the country following Government’s mass awareness exercises coupled with the availability of the jabs.
By yesterday, a national total of 1 491 493 people had taken the first jab of the vaccine, while 687 216 had been fully vaccinated.
Manicaland Province has so far administered 183 287 first jabs and 91 203 second doses.
Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro attributed the improved uptake of inoculation to targeted outreach programmes aimed at sharing information on the pandemic as well as the vaccination programme.
Buhera District Medical Officer Dr Shelton Kwiri said the response to vaccination had greatly increased as demand was sometimes surpassing supply.
“The demand for the vaccines is growing. We are vaccinating nearly 1 000 people a day. Each of our two points here in Murambinda vaccinates 200 people every day while Birchenough also gives us high volumes of more than 100 a day,” said Dr Kwiri.
Zimbabwe is targeting to vaccinate 10 million people to achieve herd immunity and has so far taken delivery of over five million doses.
Meanwhile, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe has urged the public to change their attitude and behaviour in the face of the war against Covid-19 as this is an effective and affordable way of combating the pandemic.
Minister Kazembe said while the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) will continue to enforce regulations under the Level Four national lockdown, the general populace had a role to play by adhering to the preventive measures such as masking up, social distancing, hand sanitisation, avoiding crowded places and unnecessary travelling as well as maintaining high levels of personal hygiene.
