Vaccine uptake shoots up after threats of no service

The warning that unvaccinated people won’t access government services has caused a spike in the number of those seeking vaccination against Covid-19.

In the past 10 days, more than 700,000 people have been vaccinated, raising the total to 7.1 million up from 6.3 million by November 20.

This would be an average of 78,000 a day for the last 10 days compared to about 24,000 for the 6.3million since March, this year.

This comes as the government nears its deadline of having 10 million people vaccinated by Christmas.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe last week said that the unvaccinated will be denied services in government institutions and entry into their favourite bars this festive season.

“Vaccinations have almost doubled since measures announced by CS Kagwe. First dose uptake up three-fold. Yesterday over 60,000 from an average of 20,000 before the measures,” said Dr Willis Akhwale, the head of the National Vaccine Task Force.

Number shot up

As of November 20, when Mr Kagwe made the announcement, there were 6,388,427 vaccines administered, however 10 days after his announcement the number has shot up to 7,175,590.

The CS had announced that the government would not go back to implementing harsh regulations to contain the virus. This, in addition to having teenagers get the Pfizer vaccine, has led to the increase in the number of vaccinated Kenyans, the government said.

The CS said that people will be required to have proof of vaccination for admission into hotels, bars and restaurants, national parks and game reserves by December 21.

Mr Kagwe also said all travellers to Kenya will have to carry a Covid-19 vaccine certificate, joining Spain, Iran, Italy, Denmark, Israel and Germany in imposing strict measures in the fight against the virus.

“Visitors, tourists, travellers from the European region must be fully vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination before entry to the country,” he said.

To accelerate inoculation, the ministry announced a 10-day mass vaccination from November 26 with the aim of administering adequate jabs to as many people as possible.

Vaccine donations

Kenya has a total of 13,909,670 vaccines donated from various parts of the world. Covid-19 vaccinations started off with AstraZeneca on March 8, followed by the second dose which was administered from May 28.

Vaccination with Moderna started on August 24, Johnson and Johnson September 4, while the Sinopharm vaccine was administered from September 22. The Pfizer vaccine, which was the last to arrive in the country, was first administered on October 6.

Those who are partially vaccinated are 4,415,765, and the fully vaccinated (one dose of JJ and two doses of the other vaccines) are 2,759,827 as at, November 30.

The number of people vaccinated on Tuesday was 111,663 compared to 103,939 on Monday. Out of the total vaccinated 61,309 received the first dose, while 50,354 received the second dose and the one-shot J&J vaccine.

Nairobi still has the number of the most vaccinated people, with the situational report showing that 27.6 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated, followed by Nyeri County (21.8), Kiambu (16.4), Laikipia (14.5), Taita Taveta (13.1), Murang’a (12.4), Uasin Gishu (12.1), Nyandarua (12.0), Kirinyaga (11.4), Kisumu (11.2), Nakuru (10.9). Mombasa and Kajiado (10.8) and Embu (10.3). While Mandera County has less than two percent of the population fully vaccinated.

Health workers are the most fully vaccinated in the priority groups listed by the Health ministry at 78 per cent, followed by security officers at 69 percent, teachers (68 per cent) and those above 58 years old at 61.3 per cent.

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