Mozambique: More than 10,000 missed 1st Covid vaccine dose – O País

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Mozambique: More than 10,000 missed 1st Covid vaccine dose – O País

9:50 CAT | 21 May 2021

Photo: O Pais

More than 10,000 people in Mozambique have missed their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine during the second phase of the vaccination campaign. Of the target of 251,905 individuals, only 240,965 were inoculated.

The second phase of the Covid-19 vaccination campaign started on April 19 and has already closed, with the health sector giving a positive assessment despite the 10,000 missing persons.

“Globally, the total target number was 251,905 individuals, of whom 240,965 vaccinated were, which corresponds to 96% coverage,” head of the Extended Vaccination Program Graça Matsinhe said.

Among the reasons that contributed to some people not being immunised are complexities in identifying and reaching all the people on the list, and lack of conviction regarding the importance of being vaccinated.

“The work continues, because, in the next phases, we will cover still larger groups. We will reinforce mobilisation, so that we can ensure that people who must go for vaccination on a specific day, do so,” Matsinhe explained.

The Ministry of Health considers it premature to say how long immunity lasts after vaccination, because the vaccine is still new and needs studies.

“Most countries started vaccinating in December, if I’m not mistaken, and for us to be able to do these kinds of assessments requires around six months after the first group started getting vaccinated,” Matsinhe says. “So, I would think that we will have more consolidated information at a global level on the immunity period after vaccination by July. But for now, we don’t have it.”

Mozambique has 484,000 doses of Covishield vaccine for the second phase roll-out, of which 384,000 were donated through the COVAX initiative, and 100,000 by the Republic of India.

By Dário Cossa

Source: O País