Kenya in discussion with partners to restock Moderna vaccine

KENYA – Kenya is in negotiations with other nations in an attempt to resupply stocks of Moderna vaccine doses to have a full complement of the five doses used across the country.

The current stock of the Covid-19 vaccines was received through bilateral donations from the United States (US) through the COVAX facility in efforts to meet the increasing demand from those seeking to get vaccinated against the disease.

Last year, Kenya received Moderna vaccine donations from the US including the first consignment of 880,460 doses supplied in August, a second batch of 795,600 doses deployed in September and 564,480 doses in November.

Despite this, The National Taskforce on Vaccine Deployment Chairperson Dr. Willis Akhwale has confirmed ongoing reports that there are limited stocks of Moderna in the country.

COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized by FDA are effective in preventing serious outcomes of COVID-19 including severe disease, hospitalization and death.

According to the Ministry of Health, Kenya plans to fully vaccinate 19 million adults who represent 70% of the adult population by end of June 2022.

During the same period, the state also aims to fully vaccinate 2.9 million teenagers aged 15-17 years and the entire teenage population of 5.8 million by end of December 2022.

Kenya has currently received more than 24.6 million vaccine doses, majorly from bilateral donations, with 11.9 million having been administered across the country.

USA is one of the leading donors having dispatched donated 8.1 million doses of Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines since the start of the vaccination exercise.

An additional consignment of 517,140 of Pfizer vaccine is expected to arrive in the country this month, according to information from the Health Ministry.

Kenya plans to fully vaccinate 19 million adults, who represent 70% of the adult population by end of June 2022.

Although Moderna is a two-dose vaccine supposed to be administered 28 days apart, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that moderately or severely immunocompromised people should get an additional dose at least 28 days after their second shot.

This decision comes after the Kenya National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group (KENITAG) approved vaccines mix and match in late December.

Consequently, people who are due for their second dose are eligible to receive AstraZeneca (AZ) as a second dose, 28 days after the Mordena shot is administered.

“The uptake of the second dose among those who received their first dose was at 63%, as the government is working towards vaccinating a targeted population of 27 million before the end of the year,” reported the Health Ministry.

Meanwhile, Acting Health Director-General Patrick Amoth assured that the population that has been fully vaccinated could be offered an additional dose of either AZ, Moderna or Pfizer vaccines six months after the completion of the primary series.

Patrick Amoth further said that the same or different vaccine can be used for the third dose.

“Similarly, individuals who report serious adverse reactions after receiving a vaccine can be switched to a different type for completion of their vaccination schedule. For instance, if a serious adverse event occurs after Pfizer or Moderna administration, AZ should be provided 28 days after the initial dose,” he further affirmed Kenyans.

After the adverse reactions occur after administration of the AZ vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna vaccines should be provided as the second shot eight weeks after the initial shot.

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