Vaccine phase two: Teachers, lecturers eligible for vaccine

by | Mar 16, 2021 | Local News | 0 comments

Brian Rungano Temba

The return of schools signals the return of new active hotspots for COVID19 transmission.

Although both students and teachers are expected to adhere to World Health Organisation regulations it is safer for teachers and support staff get inoculated.

The first to be admitted back into the school system were exam classes, coming in from all corners of the nation and beyond the country’s borders exposing teachers and staff to new variants of the pandemic.
In February the second wave came in from South Africa, this time East African country, Kenya recently announced fatalities from a third wave of the virus.
In view of the need to protect the incoming workforce, Cabinet agreed that Phase two of National Vaccination Programme should begin.

“Medicine Control Authority of Zimbabwe has approved to use of 4 COVID19 vaccines namely Sinopharm, Sinovac , Covaxin and Sputnik V,” said Minister for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services; Hon Senator Monica Mutsvangwa.

“Progress made in the initial stages of the vaccination programme has prompted cabinet to approve the second phase of vaccination,” she added.

The first phase targeted frontline workers and 34 000 people got inoculated.
Private companies and organisations who wish to buy vaccines for their employees are permitted to do so through the National Vaccine Procurement Fund after approval by the Ministry of Health and Child Care said Hon Sen Mutsvangwa.

Government vaccine inventory is getting a bigger boost as it is expecting 200 000 doses of Sinopharm from China, 75 000 Covaxin doses from India and 25 000 of Sputnik V from Russia.