…first and second dose vaccination still in process
Kimberly Kusauka
Masvingo province has started administering Covid-19 booster shots to fully vaccinated individuals following a scare from the new variant Omicron which hit hard the country in the last days of 2021.
Masvingo Provincial Medical Director (PMD) Dr Amadeus Shamhu said they received guidelines from the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) to give a Covid-19 booster shot to those who are fully vaccinated.
“We received guidelines a week ago to start giving Covid-19 booster shots to fully vaccinated members, so we are starting to receive the doses now and they are available at all vaccination centres,” said Dr Shamhu.
He said they are not yet aware of the number of people coming for the Covid-19 booster shot as they continue focusing on giving first and second doses.
“We are not sure about the turnout because we are still concentrating on first and second doses,” added Dr Shamhu.
Masvingo Covid-19 taskforce spokesperson Rogers Irimayi said they are allowing anyone to get a booster shot at nearer vaccination points and frontline workers are encouraged to get a shot since they are the ones directly involved.
“The situation in the province at the moment is that those who are interested in getting the booster shot can visit their nearest vaccination centres and we are not using any criteria hence, it is open to everyone.
“Many people are receiving their booster shots and we are of course encouraging frontline workers to get their booster shots because they are the people who are at risk,” said Irimayi.
He added that they are still carrying out campaigns but they do not have actual statistics on the people who have received booster shots.
“Campaigns are on, we have not stopped and in terms of turnout, I cannot actually give updated statistics at the moment,” added Irimayi.
As at January 3, 2022 a total number of 4 136 295 people have been vaccinated against Covid-19 in Zimbabwe.
