Covid-19: Government’s move  to incorporate more community volunteers for vaccine registration welcome

Source: Covid-19: Government’s move  to incorporate more community volunteers for vaccine registration welcome | The Herald

Rumbidzayi Zinyuke
Health Reporter
Harare City has put in place strategies to increase Covid- 19 vaccine rollout and reach 1,7 million people to attain herd immunity.

With demand for vaccination continuing to increase, many city clinics have been overwhelmed due to shortages of staff and other logistical problems.

Harare is the biggest metropolitan city in the country and has also been catering for people from other cities and satellite towns in need of the vaccine doses.

Harare City health services director Dr Prosper Chonzi said the move by Government to incorporate more community volunteers for vaccine registration would free up nursing staff and improve the rate at which vaccine doses were being administered.

He, however, said reaching herd immunity would still take a bit more time owing to the numbers being targeted.

“Harare caters for a lot of people coming from outside satellite towns in terms of vaccination so it will take a bit of time. Our target for herd immunity is 1,7 million, and for now we have vaccinated about 390 000. Strategies are now in place to increase centres. We have 40 private hospitals, surgeries and mobile clinics that we have involved and we are working to boost our numbers,” he said.

Nationally, 10 million people are expected to receive the Covid-19 vaccines for the country to attain herd immunity.