12,300 Doses Of J&J Vaccines Arrive For Southeastern Counties

MONROVIA-About 12,300 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines under the Ministry of Health’s “COVAX Vaccine Program” on Friday, November 5 arrived through the Airport of Harper for the next phase of vaccinations in Maryland, Grand Kru, River Gee and Sinoe counties.

The initiative is in continuation of efforts by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Partners to ensure that the country is free of the novel Coronavirus.

With funding from GIZ, Partners In Health-Liberia Deputy Executive Director Viola Karanja said her institution will work closely with the Maryland County Health Team to ensure that vaccines are available at the needed time as it continues to promote all other COVID-19 prevention protocols.

According to Madam Karanja, 9,825 people have so far been vaccinated in Maryland County, while about 6,000 others are expected to be vaccinated during this phase of the vaccination exercise.

Recent statistics on the COVID-19 situation in Liberia, released by the National Incident Management System as of October 6, 2021, shows that Maryland County has recorded 169 cases, 156 recoveries and 11 deaths since the outbreak of the virus in the country March 2020.

This means that Maryland has the fourth highest number of COVID-19 cases, next to Montserrado which has 4,556, Margibi 201 and Nimba 183.

Statistics shows that from June to October 8 of this year, Maryland County has recorded 131 cases.

Maryland was among four counties which were on a 14-day countdown to transition from response to preparedness stage in the campaign against COVID-19, as it was with the remaining 11 counties recently.

But it slipped back into response after recording one new case on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.

With 156 recoveries and eleven deaths, Maryland County’s mechanism in the fight against COVID-19 could be graded high given the ratio between the total number of cases, recoveries and deaths.

Additionally, Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah has in recent time announced that there is no active COVID-19 case in Liberia.

This means that the Government of Liberia is succeeding in the fight against the the novel virus.

The PIH official is calling on the public to turnout as she described vaccination as key to the fight against the killer disease.

LINA

New Republic Liberia

Alphonso Toweh

Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets  including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and  did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters 
 He holds first  MA with honors in International  Relations and a  candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict  Resolution from the University of Liberia.