Virus vaccines arrive in Senegal from China

Senegal received 200,000 doses of Chinese COVID-19 vaccine Sipharm on Wednesday.

President Macky Sall hosted a ceremony to mark arrival of vaccines, which West African nation purchased for about 3.8 million (US) dollars according to its finance ministry.

In a speech brocast on state television, Sall said receipt of vaccines meant country was "entering a new st" in fight against COVID-19.

Health workers, people over 60 and those with co-morbidity, will be first to receive Sipharm vaccine.

Senegalese president anunced that country is in process of buying 6,790,000 doses to aid beginning of a mass vaccination campaign next month, but did t specify which company it would be buying from.

Senegal is also expecting nearly 1.3 million vaccine doses through World Health Organization's COVAX initiative.

Sall asked Minister of Health and Social Action to take all health, logistical, financial and social mobilization arrangements necessary for launching vaccination campaigns throughout country, and called Institute Pasteur in Dakar - which produces vaccine against yellow fever - to examine possibility of producing coronavirus vaccines.

country has alrey received 1,117 freezers approved by World Health Organization for stor of vaccines, and cold rooms have been installed, according to health ministry.

Since start of pandemic, Senegal has recorded almost 32,000 cases, including 760 deaths, and infections have increased in past few months.

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