April kicks off on a good note with no death and 10 000 being vaccinated

April got off to a good start with no coronavirus death in Zimbabwe today and 10 796 being vaccinated to raise the number of those who have got the first jab to 87 791.

A further 2 631 got their second dose today bringing the total to 17 516.

There were 14 new cases and 12 recoveries which resulted in the number of active cases going up by two to 675. Harare has 438 and Bulawayo 126.

The country has recorded 36 876 cases, 34 698recoveriesand 1 523 deaths.

FACTSHEET: Common questions about COVID-19 vaccination

Why are some nurses not wearing gloves while vaccinating people? Can someone take two different vaccines? Are vaccines safe for people with chronic conditions?

Here are some important facts about COVID-19 vaccination and how people should conduct themselves after getting vaccinated:

Does one need to maintain COVID-19 safety measures after being vaccinated?

While clinical trials of vaccines that have received emergency use authorisation around the world have proved that these vaccines protect people against serious illness, the World Health Organisation (WHO) encourages people to continue taking precautions – wearing face masks, regularly cleaning hands, maintaining physical distancing and avoiding huge gatherings.

The United States Centres for Disease control and prevention also recommends fully vaccinated people to practice social distancing measures and wear masks when in public areas. This is particularly vital when visiting other unvaccinated people who are at high risk of contracting the coronavirus.

Is it necessary for the health personnel administering the injection to wear gloves?

The WHO Best Practices for Injections and Related Procedures Toolkit says the use of gloves is not recommended for intramuscular injections, unless there is a reasonable expectation of infection.

All COVID-19 vaccines currently in use around the world are administered through intramuscular injections.

“When undertaking injections, DO NOT use gloves for routine intradermal, subcutaneous and intramuscular injections if the health worker’s skin is intact (and/or) if the patient’s skin is intact,” reads the WHO toolkit.

In the US, the CDC’s advice on administering injections is based on the American government’s regulations.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), “gloves are not necessary when giving routine injections as long as hand contact with blood or other potentially infectious material is not anticipated. If bleeding is anticipated and the employee is required to clean the site following injection, then gloves must be worn.”

“At a minimum, gloves must be used where there is reasonable anticipation of employee hand contact with blood, other potentially infectious material, mucous membranes, or non-intact skin; when performing vascular access procedures; or when handling or touching contaminated surfaces or items.”

Where they are worn, gloves must be changed in between injections.

Other health agencies caution that if used improperly, gloves might actually spread germs as they may discourage proper hand hygiene.

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