It was revealed yesterday by the Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije during a press conference on the state of COVID-19 pandemic in Rwanda that also shed light on issued guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus.
The press conference took place at a time when people who received the first vaccine dose wonder when the second shot will be administered.
It is said that Pfizer or AstraZeneca doses should be administered twice for efficacy.
As per guidelines, people receiving Pfizer vaccines should get the second dose after 28 days while the second shot for AstraZeneca can be administered between 8 and 12 weeks.
Dr. Ngamije has said that approximately 290,000 people have received the first AstraZeneca dose that more 500,000 doses have been bought and expected to be used to vaccinate the second batch of people most vulnerable to catch the virus.
The date for arrival of these vaccines has not been revealed but IGIHE has learnt that the 500,000 doses were bought at a cost of US$ 1,650,000 (approximately Rwf 1, 568, 000,000).
“We are optimistic to receive the second dose of AstraZeneca because we have already bought 500,000 vaccine doses. We are waiting for delivery,” he said.
They will be an addition to more 744,000 vaccine doses, Rwanda will receive through Covax initiative expected to arrive in days ahead.
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