President Chakwera launching the vaccination exercise on Thursday
* Blantyre has up to date registered a total of 10,205 cases and cumulatively it has 2,882 active cases
* The district has over 5,000 healthcare workers but priority will be on frontline soldiers
* Over 1,600 healthcare workers nationwide have been infected with virus so far
* Of 86 new cases registered on Wednesday, Blantyre had the highest at 35 followed by 26 from Lilongwe
* There were 690 new recoveries and three new deaths — one from Blantyre and two from Lilongwe
* 60 active cases are admitted — with Blantyre as the highest at 13 in followed by 11 in Lilongwe
By Leah Nyirenda, MANA & Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express
Blantyre District Health Office (DHO) on says it will start administering COVID-19 to healthcare workers in the district on Monday next week.
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The vaccination exercise was officially launched by President Lazarus Chakwera at Zomba COVID-19 Field Hospital at Zomba State House at which he became the first recipient of the AstraZeneca vaccine).
Vice-President Saulos Chilima also had his first jab at a function held in Mzuzu at the COVID-19 Field Hospital at the Mzuzu Central Hospital.
Blantyre District Medical Officer, Dr. Fatsani Zaziwe Gunda said on Wednesday during a media briefing that the AstraZeneca vaccine — which arrived in the country last Friday — would be administered to all health workers both in public and private facilities.
The district has over 5,000 healthcare workers but priority of the vaccine will be on “frontline soldiers in the pandemic so that they are well protected and able to serve the public”.
According to stats provided by the presidential taskforce on COVID-19, over 1,600 healthcare workers have been infected with virus and thus protecting them is a priority.
Gunda assured the public not to worry about the efficacy of the vaccine as it is proved to be safe for Malawians.
“The vaccine is given in two doses which will be administered in a space of 8-12 weeks. With the first dose, the efficacy is 63.1% on average.
“However, the efficacy goes up to 92% after the second dose,” said, who is also district COVID-19 coordinator.
The vaccine will be given out in three phases with the first phase covering healthcare workers; other essential workers and people at high risk like the elderly and those with chronic diseases will come second, and finally the general public.
Respect to healthcare workers
Currently, the DHO is conducting trainings on mobilization and vaccine administration for the healthcare workers and DHO Health Promotion Officer, Chrissy Banda said they will intensify sensitization campaign to enable people make informed decisions towards receiving the vaccine.
“The vaccine will be given through consent,” she said. “During vaccination phase of health workers, we will also be preparing the public through mass sensitization on the need for the vaccine.
“We urge the public to have a positive attitude towards the vaccine. With health workers being the first group to receive the vaccine, we hope the public will be assured of the safety and importance of the vaccine.
The government couldn’t have acquired the vaccine if it were harmful,” she said as a vote of confidence.
Recently, the DHO has been sensitizing communities against myths and misinformation about COVID-19 and the vaccine through Area Development Committees, religious leaders and other community authorities, with support from GOAL Malawi.
Blantyre has up to date registered a total of 10,205 cases cumulatively and has 2,882 active cases.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 situation report indicates that as of Wednesday, the country registered 86 new cases, 690 new recoveries, three new deaths — one from Blantyre and two from Lilongwe.
Of the new cases, 81 are locally transmitted with Blantyre having the highest at 35 followed by 26 from Lilongwe.
Five of the new cases were hospitalised while 15 were discharged leading to total of 60 active cases that are admitted — with Blantyre as the highest at 13 in followed by 11 in Lilongwe.
Cumulatively, Malawi has recorded 32,614 cases including 1,077 deaths — case fatality rate is at 3.30%.
Cumulatively, 24,381 cases have now recovered (recovery rate of 74.8%) and 134 were lost to follow-up — bringing total number of active cases to 7,022.
The positive cases out of the total translates to a positivity rate of 12.5%. President Chakwera announced that the strict preventive measures that were put in place when he declared a State of National Disaster in January would only be lifted if the positivity rate goes to 5%.
