Almost 100 000 People In Zambia Get The COVID-19 Jab - Malama
Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Kennedy Malama has disclosed that five thousand and fifty eight people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the last 24 hours bringing the country’s cumulative number of people that have taken the vaccine close to one hundred thousand.
Dr Malama says 90,916 have been vaccinated since April 14, when the exercise was launched.
Dr. Malama said in Lusaka yesterday morning that 59 positive cases have been recorded out of 4,800 tests that were done in the last 24 hours.
He stated that 8 percent of the patients in admission require oxygen while 15 to 20 percent are in a critical condition.
And Dr Malama has said the risk of getting blood clots which has been a topical issue regarding astrazenca and Johnson and Johnson vaccines is insignificant.
He states that research has shown that the risk of getting blood clots may be as low as one out of 2 million people who are vaccinated.
“When you compare the incidences of blood clots among COVID-19 patients, it’s just the same, in some cases it is higher among those that are not vaccinated,” he said.
He said that it is statistically insignificant as the World Health Organisation (WHO), the European Medicines Agency and the UK Medical healthcare Products Agency and other regulatory bodies agreed that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks.
Meanwhile, Dr Malama has urged the public to continue adhering to the COVID-19 prevention rules even though the number of cases being recorded have drastically reduced.
Dr Malama has also attributed the reduction in COVID19 cases to the continued efforts by all stakeholders in the fight against the pandemic.
Dr Malama said this in a speech read on his behalf by Chief Health Promotions Officer, Winfredah Mulenga when the Zambia Public Relations Association (ZAPRA) donated over 500 washable face masks to Minibus drivers, conductors and commuters at Lusaka’s Kulima bus station in Lusaka yesterday.
Dr Malama has since thanked ZAPRA for the timely donation.
“The reduction in cases and deaths due Covid19 is as a result of continued efforts by all stakeholders such as yourselves. This donation today attests to the fact that we stand as a winning team in the fight against Covid19” he said.
And speaking at the same event, ZAPRA President, Mwamba Siame said the Association decided to partner with the Government and all the other stakeholders in the fight against the pandemic.
“In addition to the 5 golden rules, ZAPRA would like to propose a message which says #tell your neighbor about coronavirus. We think that as a combined effort with the ministry of health and ZNPHI we can pass this message on to bus drivers, conductors and commuters that we have targeted today” she said.
And the receivers of the masks have expressed gratitude for the donation
This article originally appeared on Lusaka Times