Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Royal family had on Wednesday this week lead the launch of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout at Scott Hospital in Morija. Their Majesties King Letsie III, Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso, and Princess Senate Seeiso were the first to roll up their sleeves to take the AstraZeneca vaccine respectively.
The royal family was followed by the Prime Minister Dr. Moeketsi Majoro and other dignitaries such as the Chief Justice, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Ministers and heads of the disciplined forces.
The launch of the vaccine come after the country had received 36 000 doses of the AstraZeneca last week. According to the Ministry of Health the country is expecting other consignments of the vaccines this month.
Meanwhile Lesotho is part of the COVAX facility which prioritises the equitable supply of the vaccines and the country is set to receive about 430 000 doses from the facility and which are envisaged to cover about the 20 percent of the population.
The Minister of Health Hon. Semano Sekatle said the hospitals are ready to begin with the immunisation campaign. He also added that the vaccines had already been distributed to the health facilities.
One of the nurses who was vaccinated Sister ‘Mantsoaki Nkhesa Essential Health Services Coordinator at Scott Hospital said the vaccine will assist them as it is going to reduce the chances of deaths.
She further encouraged the people to take the vaccines adding that even the newly born children are vaccinated. Sister Nkhesa stressed the need to maintain the health preventive protocols despite taking the vaccine.
The National COVID-19 Secretariat (NACOSEC) Head of Case Management Dr. ‘Makhoase Ranyali said the herd immunity will be achieved by the majority of the vaccinated population.
She said if 60 percent and above population is vaccinated that can lessen the spread of the virus infections. The Head of Case Management further added that the more people are vaccinated the less spread of the Coronavirus disease.
NACOSEC in its press briefing last week indicated that about 1 060 230 doses of AstraZeneca and Pfizer are expected to arrive next week and in addition to that about 8 918 doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccines are expected to make their way into the country.
The Ministry of Health had said they want to achieve the herd immunity by 2022. Lesotho first recorded the COVID-19 case on May 13 in 2020. According to the results published by the NACOSEC on March 8, there are 62 008 COVID-19 tests conducted, the positive cases are sitting at 10 523, the recoveries are 3 922 and there are 308 deaths recorded.
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