* Less than half of Zimbabwe’s population took up second doses
More than half of Zimbabwe’s population did not line up to receive a single shot of the Covid-19 vaccine while only one million took up the booster jabs, latest statistics reveal.
The national vaccination programme, as at 30 October 2022, had seen a total of 6 553 613 taking up the first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, while 4 921 169 people had received their second dose.
Only 1 198 388 had been administered with the third dose, according to statistics contained in Zimbabwe‘s Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic and a Report on the Procurement and Roll-Out of Vaccines, presented to Cabinet by, Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care, Constantino Chiwenga, to Cabinet on Tuesday.
Zimbabwe’s population stands at 15.1 million people.
Cabinet further announced on Tuesday that as at 30th October 2022, the country’s cumulative cases since the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 stood at 258 169, with 252 254 recoveries and 5 160 cumulative deaths.
The recovery rate was 98%, with 305 active cases having been reported. The pandemic remains under control as indicated by the flat COVID-19 epidemic curve. Indeed, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has acknowledged the progress made in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic globally.
However, WHO has indicated that the pandemic remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Accordingly, Cabinet adopted the following October 2022 COVID-19 pandemic recommendations issued by WHO.
In addition, Cabinet agreed to strengthen the enforcement of all COVID-19 regulations and to ramp up vaccination in Harare secondary schools, where the vaccination coverage is low compared to other schools across the country.
