Botswana set to receive over 38,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine

Botswana is set to received 38,400 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday, the government announced on Thursday.

The Southern African country launched its mass vaccination drive in late March, initially targeting the elderly, frontline healthcare workers and those with underlying conditions.

Sunday’s vaccines arrival will bring reprieve for the country that has struggled to obtain the life-saving jabs. Other African countries are also lagging behind in vaccination efforts due to the unavailability of the vaccines.

The vaccines will be given as second doses to those who had received their first shots.

Botswana is battling a deadly new wave of the pandemic, which has prompted the government to implement tougher restrictions across the country such as the month-long closure of schools and the suspension of inter-zonal movement.

Botswana has recorded 115,220 COVID-19 infections with 1,653 deaths. It is one of 15 African countries that have registered more than 15,000 cases.

(CGTN)