RUSTENBURG – Botswana is experiencing a shortage of the second dose of AstraZaneca due to a delay in the arrival of the vaccine, the ministry of health and wellness has said on Friday.
"The ministry was expecting the AstraZeneca vaccine consignment procured through the Covax facility, by the last week of June 2021. Owing to high global demand for Covax-19 vaccines, which has now outstripped supply, the supplier has so far not been able to deliver in the time lines expected.
“The ministry has been informed that the expected delivery is now likely to take place in August 2021," spokesperson Christopher Nyanga, said in a statement.
He said as a result of this development, there has been a shortage at vaccination centres administering the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine across the country.
"The shortfall in the AstraZeneca vaccine is about 15,000 doses, resulting in people of the same number likely to get their second doses beyond the initially anticipated 12 weeks,“ Nyanga said.
"After considering this challenge and trends in other countries like in Europe and Canada, a decision was taken that all those affected by these developments be offered Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, as second doses, if any of the two become available earlier than the expected AstraZeneca vaccine."
He said the situation was under control and appealed to all those affected to remain calm adding that their immunity against Covid-19 would not in any way be compromised.
Meanwhile Namibia will resume countrywide Covid-19 vaccination next week after the arrival of of 250,000 of doses of Sinopharm, health Minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula said.
Speaking during the country's Covid-19 preventative measure update on Thursday, Kalumbi said Namibia expects 250,000 Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine doses bought from China on Saturday and rollout would be on Monday.
The ministry of information and communication technology reported on its Twitter account, that the consignment of 250,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine arrived on Friday afternoon, a day before schedule.
– African News Agency (ANA)