Covid: Kenya and Rwanda begin Vaccinating Children

Adolescent children in Kenya and Rwanda are now eligible to receive Pfizer Covid jabs as both countries kick off vaccine campaigns.

Rwanda will be vaccinating children from the age of 12 and above from Tuesday while Kenya is allowing those those from 15 years.

Rwanda has the highest fully vaccinated population in East Africa with over 20% of the total population. The rest of the region including Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have vaccinated less than 10% of their total population.

Rwanda’s adolescent vaccination programme will cover the entire country and parents or guardians have to sign consent forms before their children can be vaccinated.

The state will work with schools for distribution and collection of consent forms.

In Kenya, the health ministry expects to receive four million doses of Pfizer vaccines for its campaign to vaccinate adolescents.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved Pfizer vaccine as suitable for use by people aged 12 years and above. The US Food and Drug Administration has recommended the same vaccine for younger children aged from five years.

However, doses are given based on country recommendations.

South Africa was the first African country to vaccinate children with Zimbabwe following suit.

BBC/Shakirat Sadiq