COVID-19 vaccines
Africa’s largest-ever immunization drive is underway and COVID-19 vaccines have now been given in almost all African countries.
Safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines are a game-changing tool in the fight against the pandemic, but for the foreseeable future we must keep wearing masks, cleaning our hands, ensuring good ventilation indoors, physically distancing and avoiding crowds.
With a fast-moving pandemic, no-one is safe until everyone is made safe by vaccination, and as countries around the world procure vaccines Africa must not be left behind.
The following vaccines have been granted Emergency Use Listing by WHO:
WHO is at the centre of Africa’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout, providing coordination assistance, comprehensive policy and technical guidance and tailored policy and practical support to African countries.
COVAX
43 African countries have so far joined the COVAX facility, which aims to ensure equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines globally.
For Africa, the aim is to vaccinate at least 20% of the population by providing up to 600 million doses by the end of 2021. The first phase of 90 million doses will support African countries to immunize 3% of the African population that are most in need of protection, including health workers and other vulnerable groups, in the first half of 2021.
