MoH: Kenya might Snub Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for AstraZeneca

Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Rashid Aman made a statement hinting that the country might choose AstraZeneca vaccine over Pfizer vaccine. 

In a statement he made on Wednesday December 9, the CAS explained that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine could be preferred since it does not require complex cold storage facilities, unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

So far, there are least three vaccine candidates from Pfizer, Moderna and Oxford-AstraZeneca 

According to Aman, Kenya faces potential supply challenges if it opts for large orders for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for which the United States and nations in the European Union (EU) had placed large orders. 

He stated, "The AstroZeneca vaccine seems to be more appropriate for our situation in Africa because it can be stored at temperatures (of other primary vaccines)."

However, the CAS asserted that the country is open to “take on any vaccine that we are satisfied would be able to protect our people.”