ZAMBIA: Spiking Covid-19 deaths create 2nd dose vaccination panic

By: Ollus Ndomu

A surge in daily Covid-19 infections and deaths has caused panic among Zambians to receive the second dose of the Astrazeneca vaccine. The rise in daily cases and deaths comes amidst the country’s cold season, forcing schools to shutdown with the election body suspending political campaigns for the August 12 general elections.

The local Diamond TV reported Sunday that health authorities turned away several people from some Covid-19 vaccination centres in the capital, Lusaka after the daily allocation of the vaccine allegedly finished.

Locals who visited the country’s largest hospital, the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and Chilenje General Hospital to take the jab were told to come the following day as centres had ran short of the vaccine; an incident Infectious Diseases Professor Lloyd Mulenga described as unforseen while reassuring Zambians that the country had enough vaccine in stock.

Zambia has in the last six days recorded rising infections and deaths which have revived the coffin industry in urban cities.