By NATION REPORTER
ADMINISTRATION of AstraZeneca Dose 1 will start today until the allocated vaccine is depleted, Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Kennedy Malama has said.
Dr Malama said Provincial Health Directors would announce the vaccination sites in line with the guidance to move away from health facilities to more open and spacious sites.
He said in Lusaka, the vaccinations would be conducted at University of Zambia, Kapwelyomba School in Chelstone, Justin Kabwe Primary School and Chaisa Primary School.
The other sites are Showgrounds, Muchinga Basic School, George Central Primary School, Mambilima Primary School, Makeni Islamic Centre and Chinika Secondary School.
Dr Malama said others included Chawama Secondary School, Evelyn Hone College, Kamwala Secondary School, St Patrick’s Girls School, Bauleni Special Needs School and Pope Square.
He said for Dose 2 of the AstraZeneca in Lusaka, the vaccination sites remained Woodlands A Primary School and OYDC.
“As we resume Dose 1 vaccinations, we encourage all health care workers, teachers, men and women in uniform and other frontline personnel, elderly and people with underlying conditions to consider getting vaccinated. Our approach will continue being first come first to be saved basis,” Dr Malama said.
He said in the last 24 hours, 1, 316 dose two AstraZeneca vaccinations were administered. “Our cumulative vaccinations to date now stand at 142, 198 Dose 1 vaccinations (135, 299 AstraZeneca and 6, 899 Sinopharm) and of these, 29, 040 have gone on to receive Dose 2 vaccinations i.e. 22,704 Dose 2 AstraZeneca (17 percent of those that received Dose 1) and 6, 336 Dose 2 Sinopharm (92 percent of those that received Dose 1),” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Malama said 54 people have died of Covid-19 related illnesses in the last 24 hours while new infections stand at 1, 453 out of 6, 484 tests conducted within the same period bringing the cumulative number of confirmed cases recorded to 170, 456. “The cumulative number of Covid-19 related deaths recorded to date now stands at 2,672 (classified as 1,924 Covid-19 deaths and 748 Covid-19 associated deaths). We discharged 2, 682 patients (116 from our health facilities and 2, 566 from home management).
“This brings the cumulative number of recoveries to 152, 103 (89 percent recovered overall). This marks an increase from 2 weeks ago when the recovery had dropped to 82 percent,” said Dr Malama. He said the country has 15, 681 cases.
