Ayantfontsa ematfonsi e COVID – Literally trickling!!

By Lunga Masuku
MBABANE – After waiting for months by Swazi nationals for the arrival of COVID 19 vaccine, as from next week the doses will start trickling into the Kingdom of eSwatini formerly Swaziland.
An excited Minister of Health, Lizzie Nkosi this week told state broadcaster that the country last weekend received over 12 000 doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca and these doses will be used for giving elderly their second dose and also be used for injecting those interested to get their first jab.
In the course of next week, on July 16, there will be 24 000 AstraZeneca doses expected to be rolled out mainly targeting those living with underlying health conditions. As of Tuesday this week, there were close to 20 000 people who tested positive of the novel Coronavirus. She went to announce that at a date still to be announced by the African Union through the assistance of the US government where it pledged to donate 60 million doses to developing countries.
“As a country, we expect to receive 165 600 doses of the Johnson and Johnson, we are very grateful for the gesture since it will cover a wider part of the population and one good thing about it was that only one jab is administered,” Nkosi said.
She appealed to Swazi nationals to ensure that they observe all COVID 19 protocols and guidelines if the landlocked country will win its war against COVID 19. Nkosi said the infection rate on a weekly bases proves that the third wave was already in the country.
Nkosi registered her fears with the ever increasing numbers of people contracting the virus, she said having 91 positive cases in one day sent cold shivers down her spine as it reminded her of a case in December 2020 when the country recorded over 300 in one day. She said the third wave was still at its infancy stage for the country to record so many positive cases.
Meanwhile, senior epidemiologist, Nhlanhla Nhlabatsi advised emaSwati not to disregard the protocols if they do not to be part of those expected to die as a result of the pandemic. At the moment the number of deaths stands at about 670 as of early this week where three were reported to have died by health minister.
COVID 19 has claimed a number of high profile people in the country such that Prime Minister, Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini was reported to have died of the pandemic. There were also two cabinet minist0ers and a number of senior people who died after contracting the virus.