Over 100,000 jab defaulters urged to complete regimen
There are about 100, 000 Kenyans who got the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, but are yet to return for the second to complete the regimen.
Public health officials said those individuals wouldn’t be considered fully vaccinated and urged them to show up for the second jab.
“Through the Chanjo system, we are able to contact them. This is, however, a voluntary process. Due to the nature of the disease, after your first dose, it should be your business to get the second,” said Dr Willis Akhwale, the Covid-19 vaccine task force chairman.
“One dose does a good job of protection, but two do a better job since they boost the immunity as one gets higher antibody values,” he added. The second dose results in longer-lasting immunity that doesn’t wane as fast over time.
Decreased risk
“A second dose not only protects you against the virus, it also ensures decreased risk of getting an asymptomatic infection, then transmitting it to others. The less transmission, the fewer variants they are going to be and the sooner we’ll get out of all this,” said Dr Akhwale.
Studies show that the second shot, given even more than 42 days after the first, may still be “very effective”. In some cases, even more effective.
“We have received 5.4 million doses of different vaccines in the country and so far, we have administered over 2.2 million for the first dose and about 830,000 for the second. We have around 1.2 million doses at the Kitengela vaccine depot,” he said.
Yet to be distributed
Over 800,000 doses of Moderna are yet to be distributed.
“Most of those who got their first dose of AstraZeneca are due in early October. We are expecting about a million doses, so we are okay, but those who got the first dose must come for the second,” said Dr Akhwale.
Some of the doses are expected next week, he added.
“We do not want people to wait for a longer period for their second dose. The ones we are holding are for those who received their first dose of Moderna and are waiting for the second in the next two weeks,” he said.
Kenya has authorised the use of AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, Sinopharm, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines for Covid-19 inoculation with the first four requiring two doses each.
About 27 per cent of the adult population is considered fully vaccinated, either with two doses of AstraZeneca or Moderna or one dose of Johnson & Johnson.
The country has so far recorded 244,380 Covid-19 cases and 4,928 deaths. Like most other African nations, it has struggled with acquiring Covid-19 vaccines because of unequal distribution. BY DAILY NATION
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