Teenagers To Receive Pfizer Vaccines From Tuesday

Teenagers between the age of 15 to 18 years are set to receive vaccinations against COVID-19 from Tuesday, November 23 in Kenya.

This roll-out of vaccination for a person aged under 18 is per the approval of Pfizer, by the World Health Organization (WHO), for use on children aged 12 and above.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe stated that Pfizer is the only vaccine approved by WHO for the younger population.

“Given emergency use authorization by Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) and following the World Health Organization recommendation, I direct that we open vaccination of young people with Pfizer from Tuesday, 23rd November lowering the applicable age to 15 years and above. The estimated population of this group is approximately 5.7 million,” said Kagwe.

Moreover, the CS announced that the Ministry will also launch an accelerated 10-day vaccination exercise to ensure that majority of the public gets vaccinated. He confirmed that the target to vaccinate 10 million people by the end of December still stands.

“The older you are the more concerned and the more emphasis we lay on you to be vaccinated. The 15-year-olds are allowed to be vaccinated because they can be carriers too. So as we kick off the accelerated exercise I appeal to all Kenyans and especially the elderly to turn out in large numbers and be vaccinated,” said Kagwe.

CS Kagwe also revealed a plan aimed at supporting the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination campaign. The government has directed a  warning that it will withhold key services from Kenyans who fail to take vaccines. Unvaccinated people will also be locked out of public transport and hotel facilities.

Anybody boarding, be it a Pilot, driver and all passengers must be fully vaccinated to board any mode of transport.