No free vaccines

Zimbabwe is going to make foreigners who are not permanently staying in  the country to pay for COVID-19 vaccination, which is currently being administered for free to local citizens.

 President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Sunday  at State House during an interview.

The country is aiming to inoculate 10 million people and achieve head immunity.

Vaccines being administered are  Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines, as well as the Indian Covaxin vaccine

“Zimbabweans will get the vaccine for free, but for foreigners who come here, they will receive the vaccine at a cost.”

“This is a human element when we cannot deny anybody the vaccine, but if you are not Zimbabwean, we will give you the vaccine at a cost. But for Zimbabweans, my government is giving it for free. I would want all my people to realise that getting a vaccine is not a guarantee that they will never get the virus, but it mitigates against the infection of the virus, “ he said.

According to the ministry of health  193 936 people have  received their first jab of the COVID-19 vaccine.

However, in neighbouring South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that foreigners in his country would get the service for free.