ATTN: SPORTS EDITORS
The Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage partners with the Ministry of Health to administer second dose of Vaccine to 2000 Athletes and Athlete Handlers
The Ministry of Sports in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Nairobi Metropolitan Services has this week vaccinated 2000 athletes, athlete handlers and frontline Ministry officials.
The exercise that ended today targeted teams bound for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in Japan including: Rugby Shujaa, Rugby Lionesses, Volleyball Women, Athletics, Paralympics, Shooting, Judo and Tae kwon do.
The vaccination exercise was also extended to the national teams preparing for Continental and World championships including Kabaddi, Harambee Starlets, Harambee Stars and Basketball. Personnel working on the WRC Safari Rally Kenya were also vaccinated.
Members of eleven (11) Nairobi based football Club were also vaccinated. The clubs include Moneybags, Wazito newbies Bidco United, Gor Mahia, Kariobangi Sharks, Bankers KCB, Slum Boys, Mathare United, Nairobi City Stars, Posta Rangers Sofapaka and Tusker AFC Leopards.
We are grateful to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Hon.Mutahi Kagwe and Nairobi Metropolitan Services for availing the vaccines and for their continued support as the teams prepare for the competitions. The vaccines were fully provided, facilitated, and administered by the Government.
We also appreciate the County Governments of Mombasa, Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet for their involvement in the vaccination of our athletes based outside Nairobi County.
I want to assure all athletes who have received their first dose that the Ministry will see to it that they get their
second dose as soon as the vaccines are available.
We are also encouraged that our athletes, who received the first dose, have tested negative for subsequent COVID-19 tests done within and outside Kenya in the past 30 days. We remain optimistic that this trend will continue in the run up to the Tokyo 2020 Games, World Cup Qualifiers, WRC Safari Rally Kenya, World Athletics Under 20 Championships and various continental events.
Amb. (Dr.) Amina Mohamed, EGH, CAV
CABINET SECRETARY