On Saturday, Algeria officially launched COVID-19 vaccination campaigns. The first doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccines had arrived, and they were going to use them to inoculate a sixty-five-year-old retiree of a health unit in Bilda town. The Russian vaccine comes in handy as the country has recorded a surge in covid patients. The government currently has confirmed over 106000 cases and 2884 deaths.
Why Russian Vaccines
Algerians have alleged that it has been months since they started awaiting the arrival of vaccines from Germany. Health officials on the front lines in the battle with covid stated that since the President left for vaccine negotiations in Germany, they have not received any. Following the disappointment, Algerians have been frustrated. Their first shipment of the vaccines arrived at the Boufarik military airport west of Algeria on Friday.
Nevertheless, it decided to start its coronavirus vaccination sith Russia. Their approach is somewhat different, considering most African countries are expecting vaccines from America and Britain. Moreover, many Controversies have arisen on the issue of vaccines. There is the overwhelming competition between rich nations and underdeveloped countries that want a fair share of the vaccines.
The Administration of Shots in Algeria
The civilians were happy with the arrival of the vaccines. They had positively embraced them as they could not wait to get immunized. Limam Zineb, a resident of Blida in Nigeria, narrates how she heard the news. She states her son informed her that covid vaccines had arrived and that health officials had started immunizing people. Zineb states she was pleased about it, as she rushed to the vaccination square as fast as she could. That’s because she is optimistic that the vaccination will be useful, and hence she won’t have to worry about being too careful.
Other people in the town were also excited. They did not build any skepticism towards the vaccines. And considering that the country confirmed its first covid case from the same city, they had made progress since then. I.e., at least people had gathered enough knowledge and believed that the virus indeed existed.
Yacine Ali Messaoud, a health worker in Algeria, decided to set an excellent example to his peers and patriots by lining up for the vaccination. She says she was young and healthy, with no chronic illnesses. His decision to receive the vaccination benefited his country by encouraging young people in his region and Algerians not to refuse immunization.
The arrival of Vaccines Is a Big Step for Algeria.
Algeria is now at the front, as opposed to many African countries, still awaiting their covid vaccines. Although authorities did not reveal the exact number of vaccines that arrived in the country, the Algerian government confirmed it had ordered 500000 doses. It was also negotiating the acquisition of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Dr. Omran Fatma Zahra, who chairs the department of community medicine at Ouled Yaich health unit, gave an insight into the whole Vaccines process.
“We are doubtful about people coming to get the vaccine, but in the end, the turnout was massive. We have immunized close to twenty people with severe ailments, and they are under observation. So it is going to be well.”
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