NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 8 – The Ministry of Sports on Thursday commenced a nationwide vaccination program that will cover all national teams with priority given to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games bound teams.
Also, to be given priority are all personnel working on the WRC Safari Rally, World Athletics Under-20 Championships, World Athletics Continental Tour and the Rugby Barthes Cup.
The exercise that started today at the Karasani Indoor arena was witnessed by the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Culture and Heritage, Amb. Amina Mohamed, PS Joe Okudo and CAS Zack Kinuthia.
“In total, we have, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Nairobi Metropolitan Services secured 3500 vaccines for this exercise. My colleagues Hon. Mutahi Kagwe, Cabinet Secretary for Health and General Mohammed Badi, Director General, Nairobi Metropolitan Services have provided our sportsmen and women an opportunity to become globally Covid-19 compliant, paving the way for our teams to safely compete in international events with the full protection of the vaccine. This indeed is the spirit of Government delivering as one,” CS Amina said in a statement.
This vaccination exercise will run until Tuesday next week following a National–County Government Vaccination Collaboration Model covering Nairobi, Kajiado, Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet.
“Our target is to inoculate a total of 3,500 athletes, coaches, officials and athlete handlers across the country ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the World Rally Championship, Safari Rally Kenya,” Amina stated.
“Increasingly sports organizers around the world are requiring that delegations possess COVID-19 Vaccination Passports over and above a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate. This exercise will guarantee that our athletes continue to represent the country in these crucial events, continuing with the Kenyan tradition of international sports dominance.”
The development comes as good news to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics teams who are in preparations for the games and getting inoculated early, it will give them ample time to be ready for the games after taking the second jab.
