Narok County has so far vaccinated 4,552 people against the Covid- 19 since the beginning of the vaccination exercise early last month.
Speaking to KNA Friday, the County Public Health Officer Mr. Edward Oludaru Tankoi said 848 of those who have received the first jab of vaccination are health workers, 460 security personnel, 463 teachers and 1,752 others belong to the other groups which the government has decided to also give priority in this exercise such as those above 58 years of age and those living with various health conditions that make the susceptible to Covid-19 complications.
Tankoi said the county has so far received a total of 6,000 doses of Coronavirus vaccine of which more than 4,800 have already been used, but they are expecting more supplies from the main depot in Kitengela in Kajiado where a medic has been sent to pick them.
The county is targeting close to 2,000 workers in the health sector including support staff and other priority groups such as teachers and security personnel.
“So far there is an increase in demand for the vaccine from the targeted groups, especially those over 58 years of age who are now turning up in large numbers to receive the jab,” he said.
The County Public Health officer said they have now opened another vaccination centre at Kilgoris Sub-County Hospital in Trans Mara West to serve the larger Trans Mara area and supplement the vaccination centre that is at Narok Referral Hospital.
The national government received 1.02million doses of Coronavirus vaccine from Oxford AstraZeneca Company manufactured in India and a further 100,000 doses which came later for this first phase of vaccination against Covid-19 pandemic which is targeting frontline workers who are at the highest risk such as health workers, teachers and security personnel.
The government hopes to vaccinate about 30 percent of its population against the Coronavirus pandemic by mid this year.
Tankoi reiterated his earlier stance to residents and all stakeholders including health workers not to let down their guard down in protecting themselves from the Covid-19 and advised wananchi to continue observing the Ministry of Health guidelines on Covid-19 such as wearing of masks, social distancing and hand washing or use of sanitizer in order to keep the disease at bay.
“We should continue observing all these ministry of health guidelines until such time that the entire country is vaccinated or develop herd immunity,” he said.
Narok county Covid -19 cases had risen to 580 by Thursday April 8th. The number of health workers affected has also risen to 49, including a senior foreign medical consultant who has since recovered.
Luckily, there has been no fatality among health workers in the county even as the country grapples with the loss a number of health workers to the pandemic including topnotch professionals in various medical fields.
The county public health officer said sadly, the county has so far lost 22 people to the virus, including a County Executive Officer (CEC).
By Mabel Keya-Shikuku
