Kenya police officers will start getting their doses of the Covid-19 vaccine starting Wednesday evening, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe has said.
The CS said Inspector-General of police Hillary Mutyambai will be the first to receive the jab to encourage other officers to follow suit.
"As I indicated, we have a priority list with regards to the vaccination which initially started with our healthcare workers to be followed starting today by teachers, security personnel and other vulnerable groups. The police officers will start the process of vaccination today starting with the IG," Kagwe said.
The CS spoke during the Covid-19 press briefing at Westlands, Nairobi where he announced 713 new cases of infections.
He announced that 12 patients succumbed to the disease while another 89 were admitted in Intensive Care Unit.
Kagwe noted that the sharp increase in numbers calls for vigilance to avoid being overwhelmed by a possible third wave of the pandemic.
"We are about to start another difficult period, but I know that having overcome the first two, we can also overcome this one. I know that this time round people feel tired, I am tired as well. It has taken a toll on us over the past one year," Kagwe said.
"We also know that it is at this time when we feel the way we feel that we can let our guard down and adopt a don't care attitude that then we will be hit hardest."
The CS therefore urged all Kenyans to renew their commitment to ensure lives are saved.
In October last year, Kagwe confirmed that Kenya was hit by a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic which struck the country in March.
This led to formation of new mitigations including all asymptomatic patients being cared for at home and not in hospital.
President Uhuru Kenyatta i expected to make a speech on Friday on the way forward now that there is a possibility of a third wave.