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• Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Constantino Chiwenga became the first person to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
• Vaccines will work with a person’s immune system so it will be ready to fight the virus if one is exposed- CDC
• All people who were vaccinated yesterday will be monitored- Dr Mahomva

Zimbabwe yesterday began its Covid-19 vaccination programme with the inaugural process taking place at Wilkins Hospital in the capital.

Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Constantino Chiwenga became the first person to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

On Monday, the country received a donation of 200 000 shots of the Sinopharm vaccine from The People’s Republic of China.

The first round of vaccinations will include 60 000 healthcare and other frontline workers. The elderly and those with chronic conditions will follow.

In an interview with Star FM, National Covid-19 Taskforce Chief coordinator, Dr Agnes Mahomva said all people who were vaccinated yesterday will be closely monitored.

Why it is important to vaccinate

Covid-19 can have serious, life-threatening complications. If anyone gets sick, that person can spread the disease to friends, family, and others around them.

According to the Centres for Disease Control (CDC), vaccines will work with a person’s immune system so it will be ready to fight the virus if one is exposed.

The CDC also urges non pharmaceutical prevention methods like wearing face masks and social distancing which help reduce chances of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others, but these measures are not enough.

“The combination of getting vaccinated and following CDC’s recommendations to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from COVID-19.”

According to the CDC, stopping a pandemic also requires using all available tools.