President Emmerson Mnangagwa will on Wednesday fly 900 kilometres to get his first Covid-19 jab in the resort town of Victoria Falls, his deputy Constantino Chiwenga has said.

Mnangagwa will be inoculated using the Sinovac vaccine, on a day government will be launching the second phase of the Covid-19 vaccination programme in Victoria Falls.

Mnangagwa will also fly with him leaders of political parties who are also expected to get the jab.

“The second phase of the Covid-19 vaccination will be officially launched by His Excellency the President, ED Mnangagwa this week, Wednesday 24th March, 2021, in the City of Victoria Falls,” said Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care.

“On the day, His Excellency the President, will receive his first jab of Sinovac.”

Zimbabwe launched its Covid-19 vaccination programme mid-last month, with Chiwenga having been the first in the country to be inoculated, after taking the Chinese, Sinopharm vaccine.

The country has to date received a combined 600 000 doses of vaccines, split between Sinopharm, 400 00 doses and Sinovac, 200 000 doses.

Since the first launch, over 42 000 mainly frontline workers have been vaccinated.

Chiwenga said government will launch the Covid-19 vaccination campaign in the resort city of Victoria Falls, where residents will get the chance to be inoculated on the same day.

“This vaccination exercise will pave way for the full resumption of unlimited tourism activities in the city which is a world attraction,” Chiwenga said.

So far, Covid-19 vaccination had not been made available for the public, save for critical frontline groups under Phase 1.

As more vaccines are availed, with some expected from Russia, India and the United Kingdom among others, ordinary citizens who are not in top priority groups will get inoculated.

Government is targeting to vaccinate at least 10 million people for the country to achieve herd immunity.

-State Media