-Health Minister Dr. Jallah
By: Kruah Thompson (Intern)
The second batch of 96,000n doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines is expected in the country by the end of July 2021, says the Minister of Health, Doctor Wilhelmina Jallah.
According to the Minister, a total 84,288 persons who took the first dose of vaccines would receive their second dose if the consignment arrive.
“Currently as we speak, there are no vaccines in Liberia, so the ministry cannot give first or second dose. Meanwhile, we are expecting nighty six thousand (96,000) doses of AstraZeneca vaccines by the end of the month”, Doctor Jallah announced here Thursday, 15 July in a weekly briefing at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism in Monrovia.
She says immediately the vaccines arrive, the ministry will make available 84,288 doses for those people that need their second dose, adding that 9,135 persons have taken both doses.
However, she reveals that government is expecting both the Johnson and Johnson vaccine and the Pfzer dose, but the former will be administered as a single dose, saying, “Other people will be given the Johnson and Johnson, while others will be given the Pfzer based on when those vaccines arrive in the country.”
She says whatever doses are left or shortages that may be experienced, government will purchase them because the target is to vaccinate over two million people. “If we get two million people vaccinated, this will change for better and we will not worry about covid-19.”
The Minister maintains there can be no talk of Liberia becoming better until counties with confirmed cases turn yellow or green, noting, “Before they were all green but now they are all red.”
Meanwhile, she discloses that the total confirmed cases of Thursday, July 14, is 5,306 since the index case was reported on March 16, 2020, but from June 1st to 30th 241 cases were recorded, which there was a peak.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]
