SOTN: Uhuru rallies Kenyans to get vaccinated in the wake of Omicron variant

President Uhuru Kenyatta has rallied all Kenyans to secure their vaccination against Covid-19 in the wake of the Omicron variant.

“I invite the media to use their platforms to promote the vaccination campaign,” he said during his State of the Nation address on Tuesday.

Uhuru said Kenyans need to be cautious and responsible against the variant.

“Let us tear down this disease, ladies and gentlemen,” he said.

The President said the variant may explain infection rate spikes across the globe.

As at November 30, 7.1 million Kenyans had been vaccinated.

“To fortify our national resolve, I urge all Kenyan adults to visit medical facilities and receive vaccines,” he said.

The heavily mutated Omicron coronavirus variant is likely to spread internationally and poses a very high risk of infection surges that could have "severe consequences" in some places, the World Health Organization said on Monday.

No Omicron-linked deaths had yet been reported, though further research was needed to assess its potential to resist vaccines and immunity induced by previous infections, it added.

Anticipating increased case numbers as the variant, first reported last week, spreads, the UN agency urged its 194 member states to accelerate vaccination of high-priority groups.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO director-general, said Omicron's emergence showed how "perilous and precarious" the situation was.

"Omicron demonstrates just why the world needs a new accord on pandemics," he told the start of an assembly of health ministers expected to launch negotiations on such an agreement.

Edited by CM