Demand soars with thousands registering for Covid vaccine
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August 4, 2021
04
Aug 2021
By Guardian Reporter
Dar es Salaam
News
The Guardian
Demand soars with thousands registering for Covid vaccine
THE government may create a waiting list as thousands of Tanzanians from various regions registered for Covid-19 vaccine following the official launch of national inoculation drive last week.
As of yesterday, Dar es Salaam Region had more than 10,000 applicants listing their names to get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine which the government received recently from the United States.
A big chunk of the one and quarter million doses has already been spent on frontline and at-risk groups such as healthcare providers, the elderly, people with underlying conditions and lately—journalists.
In Moshi, regional secretariat official SaidiMtanda urged medical personnel to assist people in filling the consent forms, especially those who can barely read or write, as the vaccination exercise in the district was launched at Majengo health centre.
He also urged medical practitioners to avoid being biased in providing the vaccines, insisting on priority to be given to identified groups.
“We do not expect our people to use the opportunity to receive bribes. Conduct yourelf professionally as what we want is for people to get vaccinated,” he said.
In Mwanza, Regional Commissioner Robert Gabriel led residents to roll out the vaccination exercise at the SekouToure referral hospital.
Speaking shortly after receiving the vaccine, the RC people to go and get vaccinated in the 27 centres put up in the region. The jab is voluntary and the region has prioritised people aged above 50 and those with complications such as diabetes, he stated.
He said experts have confirmed that the vaccine was safe and thus no need exist to pay attention to rumours against the vaccine in social media outlets and various other gatherings.
Despite the country receiving the vaccine there is need for more education on the continued use of masks and sanitizers, he affirmed, after taking the jab accompanied by the CCM regional chairman Anthony Diallo and Nyamagana DC, Amina Makilagi.
In Arusha, residents turned up in large numbers at the Arusha International Convention Centre (AICC) where the exercise was launched, with long queues of people of different ages ready to get the jab.
Geofrey Pinda, deputy minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, was among those who turned up to vaccinate and used the gathering to urge people to come out and get vaccinated.
Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Amos Makalla said thousands had already booked to receive the jab, saying he was informed that more than 10,000 people had already booked to get vaccines and the regional leadership worries that the jabs will run out soon.
Around 550 centers have been set up to provide the jabs in 26 regions across the country, with Health ministry officials saying the first drive targets health workers, those above 50 years and people with underlying conditions.
Chief Government Spokesman Gerson Msigwa said on Sunday that 11 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines under the COVAX facility are expected in the near future. Under the programme each recipient country receives doses for at least 20 per cent of its population, he added.