Cabinet gives list of persons who wi*l be first to receive COVID-19 vaccination, sets vaccines arrival date

Healthcare workers, security personnel, teachers, employees of hospitality companies such as hotels and vulnerable persons will be the first group of people in Kenya to receive COVID-19 vaccination scheduled for the first week of March, Cabinet resolved on Thursday.

In a press release documenting resolutions by the Cabinet following a meeting Thursday, the Government said it had “ratified the distribution framework for the vaccines”.

In January, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said Kenya had ordered 24 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and expected them to start arriving in the second week of February.

As of February 25, 2021, Kenya had recorded 105,057 COVID-19 cases, with 277 infections registered between February 24 and February 25.

Kenya’s recovery statistics, however, stand at 86,497 after 119 more persons were declared healed on February 25.

Kenya’s fatalities arising from COVID-19 reached 1,847 on Thursday after eight more patients succumbed to the disease.

To avert further spread of COVID-19 in Kenya, Cabinet sanctioned heightened surveillance at all of Kenya’s international borders.

Besides Kenya’s COVID-19 status and vaccination plan, the Cabinet directed an inquiry into the rising water levels in Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria.

“In that regard, the Technical Committee was directed to table its Report, as well as an actionable Emergency Response Plan, within seven days from February 25,” a press release containing Cabinet’s resolutions said.

Cabinet also approved 14 Bills to be tabled in Parliament for lawmakers’ action.

The 14 Bills include Public Private Partnerships Bill (2021), Public Procurement and Asset Disposal (Amendment) Bill (2020), The Universities (Amendment) Bill (2020), The National Sustainable Waste Management Policy and Bill (2020), The Community Groups Registration Bill (2019), Public Management (Equalization Fund) Regulations Bill (2020), Irrigation Act Bill (2020), The Children Bill (2020), Business Laws (Amendments No. 2) Bill (2020), National Electronic Single Window System Bill (2020), the 2021 Budget Policy Statement, Winding up of Dormant Funds and repeal of their enabling Acts, Water Regulations (2021) and Public Finance Management Regulations (2021).