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Mukudzei Chingwere Herald Reporter

Zimbabwe has fully vaccinated more than 1 000 000 of its citizenry against the Covid-19 virus and at least 1 864 204 have received the first dose in the country’s ongoing mass vaccination campaign targeting 60 percent herd immunity, around 10 million people.

Government has purchased doses and entered into some facilities which would ensure the country gets enough doses to inoculate around nine million of its population, with more than six million doses already in the country.

Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Constantino Chiwenga was the first person to be vaccinated against Covid-19 at a ceremony that signalled the commencement of the country’s vaccination drive.

President Mnangagwa also took his first shot in Victoria Falls which encouraged an improved uptake of the jabs from people in the resort city.

Against a background of safety pessimism from some quotas which have persisted even after the World Health Organisation (WHO) assurances, the leaders publicly took their shots to assure the citizenry of the safety of the vaccines.

Recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and WHO rated Zimbabwe among the best countries in the world when it comes to buying and acquiring supplies of Covid-19 vaccines.

Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr John Mangwiro talked of the work put into the campaign as well as the rationality of vaccines.

“We have used health education to improve the uptake of the Covid-19 vaccines. 

“We have been telling people around the country of the importance of getting vaccinated and its benefits.

“Our response is working hence this success, but we will continue working hard as well as encouraging colleagues to work an extra mile till we reach herd immunity,” he said.

“We have seen a trend that most people dying of Covid-19-related complications are not vaccinated. Even those who end up needing hospitalisation, most of them are not vaccinated.

“Vaccination is the way to go and we have increased the number of outreach teams so that people can access these vaccines easily.

“The vaccines are there, President Mnangagwa has ensured that the supply side is not a problem so we encourage people to get vaccinated to defeat this virus,” said Dr Mangwiro.

He reminded those vaccinated that they should continue following the prescribed containment measures.