Botswana now way ahead on coronavirus vaccination

Botswana is now way ahead of Southern African countries in terms of coronavirus vaccination having dispensed 53.3 doses for every 100 residents so far, with 35.6% getting the first dose and 17.8% now fully vaccinated.

Zimbabwe, which was in the lead for most of this year and has enough vaccines for nearly 7 million in stock, is at 42.5% with 24.1% having got the first jab and 18.3% fully vaccinated.

South Africa is close by with 41.1% but 23.1% are fully vaccinated and 27.8% have receiving on jab. South Africa has an advantage because one of the vaccines it is using, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, requires only one dose.

Zimbabwe intends to attain herd immunity by vaccinating 10 million people by the end of the year but so far 2.73 million are fully vaccinated.

Vaccination in Zimbabwe, which had slowed down to 114 875 doses being dispensed in a whole week two weeks ago, is picking up now with more than 172 000 doses being dispensed in the past four days.

More than 52 000 people were vaccinated yesterday with 41 965 getting the first dose and 10 103 the second.

Active cases continue to rise because of slower recoveries but the positivity rate is on the decline.

There were 22 new cases yesterday and no death but only nine people recovered resulting in the number of active cases increasing to 528.

Manicaland has the highest number at 115, followed by Matebeleland South with 114 and Masvingo 100.

Mashonaland Central has only three cases.

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