COVID-19: COUNTY GOVERNMENT TELLS FAMILIES TO AVAIL THE ELDERLY FOR THE JAB

By Wahida Mohamed and Dominick Mwambui

Garissa County Secretary Abdi M. Ali has urged residents in the county to ensure their elderly family members receive the Covid-19 vaccine jab to help build their resistance against the virus.

Speaking while receiving a consignment of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) from Search For Common Ground, the county Secretary said:

“The vaccine is the best protection there is against Covid-19 and it was available in local hospitals. It is important to remember that, while things are looking much better than they were a few months ago, the virus hasn’t gone away.”

As a way to increase the effectiveness of Covid-19 safety measures and promote social cohesion during the pandemic Search For Common Ground through funding from the European Union has been implementing a rapid response project called Pamoja Dhidi Ya Corona.

“In this project we have been working closely with the community in Garissa County to map out areas where quick interventions and solutions are needed. This we have achieved through setting up Early Warning Early Response teams (EWER). Through this engagement we have been able to bridge the gap between citizens and security actors. We have also enhanced an information flow from citizens to security actors and other implementers during the pandemic,” Said Zena Hassan, a program officer working for Search.

Search handed over a consignment of 50 hand washing buckets, 21 bottles of liquid soap, 25 bottles of hand sanitizers, 1000 boxes of reusable face masks and 9 boxes of sanitary towels.

Others present during the short ceremony were Deputy County Secretary Abdirashid Hassan Chief Officer Health Hassan Anshur, Search program officer Mohamed Hajj and Garissa EWER Chairman Abdiweli Mohamed.