UCHIZI MBANGE
Between November 29 2021 and January 2 2021 data has indicated that 67 people died of Covid-19 but, of these, 64 were unvaccinated, according to the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM).
The PHIM report says of the 67, 64 were unvaccinated, one was fully vaccinated, one had received the first of the double-dose AstraZeneca vaccine while the last one’s status was unknown.
On Monday, Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda encouraged everyone eligible to get vaccinated at the earliest possible time to boost their protection.
She said vaccination also ensures that one does not develop severe disease and reduces risk of hospitalisation and deaths after contracting Covid-19.
“The evidence from the Covid-19 data indicated that the majority of patients being admitted to hospitals due to severe Covid-19 and those dying from Covid-19 are not vaccinated.
“The best time to get vaccinated is now so that our bodies are prepared to fight the disease in case we are exposed to the virus. For those that have received the vaccine already, let us be role models and encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated,” Chiponda, who co-chairs the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19, said.
Malawi targets to vaccinate 11 million or 60 percent of the population with the Covax Facility, a multi-donor consortium providing vaccines to poor countries, providing vaccines for 3.8 million people.
By Tuesday, Malawi had recorded 76 801 cases of Covid-19, including 2 386 deaths, representing a Case Fatality Rate of 3.11 percent. Cumulatively, 717 180 people are fully vaccinated in the country.
