vaccine rollout - The African Mirror

Jun

2021

FACTBOX-Back to pubs, gyms and movies: plotting the road back to normal

AS the COVID-19 vaccine rollout gains momentum, many countries are planning a gradual return to normal, opening borders and letting people back into restaurants, shops and sports venues after more than a year of on-off lockdowns. Here are some of their plans, in alphabetical order: BRITAIN Non-essential retailers in England reopened on April 12 along with pubs and restaurants operating outdoors. Indoor hospitality, cinemas, theatres and sports halls reopened on May 17. Britain also allowed international travel to resume, with quarantine rules still in place for most arrivals. The government aims to lift most remaining restrictions in England on June…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

South Africa targets 5 million elderly people in phase 2 of COVID-19 vaccine rollout

COVID-19

SOUTH Africa will launch phase two of its vaccine rollout today with the aim of inoculating five million citizens aged over 60 by the end of June, the health minister said yesterday. "This is provided that the supply of vaccines flows as anticipated. By the end of June we expect to have received 4.5 million doses of Pfizer and 2 million doses from Johnson & Johnson," the minister, Zweli Mkhize, said during a webinar.

Mar

2021

By The African Mirror

Solar technologies can speed up vaccine rollout in Africa. Here’s how

SCIENCE, TECH AND INNOVATION

THER'S hope that some industrialised countries will achieve near-universal vaccination against COVID-19 in the coming months. Yet the effort to vaccinate even the most essential workers in developing countries has only just begun. By current estimates, achieving herd immunity (to current strains) will require at least 75% of the world’s population to be vaccinated. Some developing countries haven’t reached that level of coverage even for common vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and polio. CYRUS SINAI, PhD student, Department of Geography, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ROB FETTER, Senior Policy Associate, Energy Access Project, Duke University Many low-income countries will…

Mar

2021

By The African Mirror

Israel votes as Netanyahu hopes vaccine rollout overcomes corruption trial

WORLD

JEFFREY HELLER and STEPHEN FARRELL ISRAELIS began voting yesterday in a fourth election in two years, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hoping a world-beating COVID-19 vaccine rollout will win him another term. With coronavirus precautions at polling booths across the country - and ballots at the airport for quarantined Israelis coming home to vote - opinion polls show the race yet again too close to call. Israel's longest-serving head of government, Netanyahu has managed to hold on to power through two years of inconclusive elections despite facing corruption allegations. He is now on trial on bribery and abuse of power…

Mar

2021

By The African Mirror

Nigeria at sixes and sevens on rollout

COVID-19

NIGERIA has started to vaccinate people after receiving its first batch of COVID-19 vaccines. Virologist and senior research fellow Dr Solomon Bakarey provides some insights on how the country should go about the rollout plan. SOLOMON BAKEREY, Senior research fellow, University of Ibadan The government hasn’t unveiled a coherent plan. How much of a problem is this? It’s a big problem, and it’s making Nigerians sceptical about the vaccines. Many countries, including some African neighbours, have rolled out distribution plans for the vaccines they’ve procured. But Nigerian government is yet to unveil a coherent plan. In my view this means…

Mar

2021

By The African Mirror

‘$1 bln more needed for vaccine rollout’

COVID-19

THE United Nations' children's fund yesterday urged countries to contribute more money to help poor countries access coronavirus vaccines, saying around $1 billion was needed. UNICEF, the world's single largest vaccine buyer, is part of the World Health Organization-backed COVAX programme to supply COVID-19 shots to emerging economies. "We have been asking the world for more funding ... for UNICEF and our distribution to countries we still need about $1 billion," UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said at Dubai's World Government Summit, held virtually this year. That funding could be used strengthen health systems in poorer nations and support the…

Mar

2021

By The African Mirror

Egypt expands vaccine rollout

COVID-19

EGYPT yesterday expanded its coronavirus vaccination rollout to include the elderly and people with chronic diseases after several weeks of vaccinating medical staff, the cabinet said. Nearly 153,000 people have applied for vaccinations since Sunday when the North African country opened online registration, the cabinet said in a statement. Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country with more than 100 million, has prepared 40 vaccination centres and plans to increase that number after the arrival of more vaccine batches, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said. Egypt received 350,000 doses of a coronavirus vaccine developed by China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) in…

Feb

2021

By The African Mirror

Insecurity, suspicion, vaccine rollout in Africa war zones

COVID-19

NITA BHALLA and MOHAMMED OMER SOMALI cattle herder Omar Hussein isn't joining the global scramble for a COVID-19 vaccine - he's not sure the jab will even reach his besieged town in southwestern Somalia. The 28-year-old, who has spent much of his life living in a volatile region infiltrated by al Qaeda-linked Islamist insurgents, has bigger problems on his mind. "I know COVID-19 is a killer, everyone knows that. It killed many in Western countries, but not here thanks to God," the father of three told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from his home in Bulo Fulay town in…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

Lloyd’s, Parsyl to insure emerging market COVID-19 vaccine rollout

BUSINESS

NOOR ZAINAB HUSSAIN and CAROLYN COHN LLYOD’S of London and insurtech firm Parsyl have launched a programme to insure the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in emerging markets as drugmakers race to address the biggest global logistical challenge since the Second World War. The Global Health Risk Facility (GHRF), made up of 14 insurers and reinsurers, has been set up to address the challenges of transporting temperature-sensitive vaccines, and will be supported by $26.7 million in funding from the U.S International Development Finance Corporation, the companies said on Tuesday. The DFC loan will be used to capitalize a new public-private Lloyd's…