Health Ministry: Preference For Covaxin Should Be Given To Indian Community
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The Ministry of Health and Child Care has written to all Provincial Medical Directors instructing them to give preference for Covaxin to the Indian community.
Zimbabwe received 35 000 doses of the Covaxin vaccine from India as a free donation.
The same letter also spoke about the COVID-19 vaccine expiry date, and policy on storage, administration and recording. The letter signed by Health secretary Air Commodore Chimedza reads:
RE: POLICY POSITION ON COVID-VACCINE STORAGE, ADMINISTRATION AND RECORDING
The above subject refers,
Following the irregularities which were noted in the COVID-19 vaccination rollout. This letter serves to inform you that our roll-out strategy is maintained as follows:
> Each health facility to have one type of vaccine per any given time. This means that Sinovac, Sinopharm and Covaxin and even other upcoming Covid Vaccines should be given at separate vaccination centre/facility/point;
- So that when Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFIs) occurs it is absolutely clear which vaccine is associated with the event.
- To avoid administering two different types of vaccines on one client (Clients to receive one type of vaccine for Dose 1 and 2).
> Recording of vaccine-type should be written as Sinopharm/Sinovac or Covaxin not as Verocell to guide monitoring of AEFIs and Vaccine uptake by type.
> Capturing of QR cords will be done in retrospect which means that those that are receiving vaccination cards with QR cards will have to make sure that they are scanned to the server at the facilities they were vaccinated. Meanwhile, cards are to be issued without being scanned until further guidance.
> Dose Interval for Sinovac is 2 weeks/14 days while Sinopharm and Covaxin is 28 Days. On the same note preference for Covaxin should be given to the Indian community, but not limited to them as it should benefit all citizens.
PLEASE NOTE: The expiry date for Covaxin is June 2021, Sinopharm February 2023 and Sinovac February/March 2024. So let’s make sure that Covaxin is administered before it expires to avoid wastage. Please be guided accordingly.
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