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Tag: pandemic

  • MKU becomes the First University to Acquire COVID-19 Testing Machine


    By: Sumaya Hussein (husseinsumaya1@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail photo courtesy of tuko.co.ke.

    Mount Kenya University has become the first university in the country to purchase a Real-Time PCR machine that will be used for detecting COVID-19.

    The machine, acquired at Ksh15 million, is set to arrive in days from China through TBC biotechnology corporation. “Ours is a commitment to the student population and the society at large that we want to ensure we can test all our students for the virus, at any time,” said MKU’s new Vice-Chancellor Prof. Deogratious Jaganyi. “We not only want to have the ability to test, but also impart skills to our medical students on how this is done since COVID-19 will be with us for a long time.”

    Prof. Jaganyi further added that the institution is considering extending the service to the community at a reasonable rate, this being part of their corporate social responsibility.

    MKU Council Chair, Prof. David Serem (right) hands over the University’s Mace to the new VC Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi during his installation ceremony on 29th January 2021. Photo courtesy of KCB.

    Real-Time RT-PCR is one of the most widely used laboratory methods for detecting COVID-19. Many countries use it to diagnose other diseases such as Ebola and Zika virus. Currently, there are 34 medical institutions in Kenya which have approved PCR machines and some charge as high as Ksh10,000 for Covid-19 test

    In 2020, MKU Medical School was ranked the best in Kenya with a score of 82 out of 100 points in an inspection conducted by a team of technical health experts from East African Community Partner States National Medical and Dental Practitioners Regulatory Councils.

  • Daystar Ramps Up Covid Protocols Ahead of Physical classes

    By: Sumaya Hussein (husseinsumaya1@gmail.com)


    Daystar University campuses have improved on Covid-19 protocols previously set up in the school, in preparation for physical classes of the January 2021 semester.


    Measures taken include setting up isolation rooms in both campuses, remarking classrooms and public places for social distancing, setting up temperature checks, handwashing and sanitization stations.

    Handwashing stations at Athi River Campus. Photo courtesy of Emmanuel Laguma.

    “We have isolation rooms in both campuses and we have doctors and medical personnel. We are ready and prepared, and we have done our best as a University,” said Pius Muia, Senior Human Resource Manager.


    Masks will also be provided in the campuses for those unable to obtain. With the protocols in place, the main campus in Athi River can accommodate 1,500 students while the Valley Road campus can take 600 students.


    “We had many of them saying the preferred face to face, and we wondered about the reasons and we agreed on who will be face to face,” said Deputy Vice Chancellor Prof. Faith Nguru, during the freshmen parents’ welcome on Monday.

    Social distancing in lecture rooms. Photo courtesy of Emmanuel Laguma.

    Currently, the University is offering blended learning whereby both physical and online classes will be ongoing. A survey that was conducted by the school revealed that more students preferred face to face learning over online learning.

    Students from the school of communication can also make arrangements in groups to use the studios in the campuses. Those undertaking online classes have the privilege of choosing their units from both the Athi River and Nairobi campuses, which include day and evening classes.

    Sanitizer station in Athi River campus. Photo courtesy of Emmanuel Laguma.

    Students set to resume for physical classes this January include those taking nursing and science-based courses. The rest will study online but have access to the facilities in both campuses such as the libraries and labs.


    Both physical and online classes are set to begin on January 11, 2021. Orientation of new students was conducted physically with strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines.

  • The UK Approves AstraZeneca Vaccine


    By: Sumaya Hussein (husseinsumaya1@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail photo courtesy of The Times.


    The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved by the UK medicines regulator, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA). This makes it the second vaccine to be approved in the UK after Pfizer.


    The approval by the body of the came after weeks of examining trial data by experts and it was concluded that the vaccine met its strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.
    The vaccination programme will start on Monday and will aim to reach millions of people in at-risk categories as quickly as possible.


    The new variant of the virus causing high rates of infection has made vaccination much more urgent. The government’s joint committee on vaccination and immunization (JCVI) has advised that priority should be to give as many at-risk groups their first dose of either the Oxford or Pfizer vaccine, other than providing two doses in four weeks.

    AstraZeneca PLC company. Photo courtesy of EPA.


    “Everyone will still receive their second dose and this will be within 12 weeks of their first. The second dose completes the course and is important for long term protection,” said a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).


    AstraZeneca said its vaccine would be made available to some of the poorest regions of the world at low cost and not being manufactured for profit. CEO of the company, Pascal Soriot, said AstraZeneca could provide the UK with up to 2 million doses a week and would start shipping the first doses “today or tomorrow”.


    “The good news with this is we are going to be able to inject a lot of people with one dose very quickly, provide them with a reasonably good dose of protection until they get their second dose two to three months later. That will enable us to protect more people because we can wait two to three months for the second dose,” added Soriot.

    Pascal Soriot, AstraZeneca CEO. Photo courtesy of EPA.


    The UK has ordered 100m doses of the vaccine and eventually, all adults will be offered, according to Matt Hancock, the UK health secretary.
    “Because we’ve got enough of this vaccine on order to vaccine the whole population – we’ve got 100m doses on order- add that to the 30m doses of Pfizer and that’s enough for two doses for the entire population,” he said in an interview on BBC Breakfast.
    “So I can now say with confidence that we can vaccinate everyone except of course for children because this vaccine has not been trialled on children and anyway children are much less likely to have symptoms from the disease,” he added.

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson, celebrated the news as “truly fantastic news and a triumph for British science”.
    “We will now move to vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible.” he tweeted.

  • Daystar to Retain Online Classes in January 2021

    By: Sumaya Hussein (husseinsumaya1@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail photo courtesy of Daystar University

    Daystar University will continue administering classes online, as a few physical classes will be taking place in the campuses come January 2021.

    In an email sent to the school on Monday, only nursing students, science students and those admitted during the October 2020 physical semester will start face to face learning in January 2021.

    Other courses, according to the email, are to continue with online learning.

    “Save for the programs outlined above, all other undergraduate, certificate and Diploma students will remain online,” read the email.

    All continuing postgraduate students taking PGDE, Master’s and PhD programmes, as well as new postgraduate students from October 2020 and January 2021, will study online as well.

    Students to start physical classes in January include; all nursing students admitted in 2020 and January 2021, all undergraduate students admitted to the October 2020 physical semester, all law students admitted in August 2020 and January 2021, will have physical classes at the Athi River Campus.

    Photo courtesy of Laguma

    For continuing students, all nursing students admitted in 2018 and 2019 will continue with their clinical placements. All Upgrade Nursing students admitted in 2020 and 2021, will have physical theory classes at the Nairobi campus.

    All students taking Biomedical Science, Environmental Heath, Actuarial Science, Applied Computer Science and Bachelor of Education Science (B.Ed Science), will have physical classes at the Athi River campus.

    The 15% fee discount previously offered for online classes has been discontinued due to the government suspension of all tax waivers.

    Physical orientation for new students is set to begin on January 4, 2021.

    The University Portal will be opened for registration of courses on January 4, 2021 once the timetable has been released. Both physical and online classes will begin on January 11, 2021.

  • FDA Authorizes Moderna Vaccine for Emergency Use in the US

    By: Sumaya Hussein (husseinsumaya1@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail photo courtesy of Reuters

    The Food and drug Administration (FDA) authorized the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Moderna, which joins the Pfizer-BioNTech as the second vaccine available for use in the US.

    The announcement on Friday came a day after a committee of outside experts endorsed the use of the Moderna vaccine across the US, saying the benefits outweigh the risks.

    “With the availability of two vaccines now for the prevention of COVID-19, the FDA has taken another crucial step in the fight against this global pandemic that is causing vast numbers of hospitalizations and deaths in the United States each day,” said FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, in a press release.

    Moderna experiemental COVID-19 vaccine. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

    The vaccine which was 94% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 in clinical trials can now be given to adults 18 years and older. Data presented by Moderna also hints that the vaccine could prevent asymptomatic infection as well.

    Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine will be available under Emergency Use Authorization, a designation that lets the FDA sign off on products faster than the normal review process during an emergency like a pandemic.

    The Moderna vaccine can be easily stored compared to the Pfizer vaccine, which requires to be kept at ultra-cold temperatures.

    Moderna can be stored in a refrigerator for up to 30 days, making it easier to distribute to places without the infrastructure to maintain extremely low temperatures.

    “We remain focused on scaling up manufacturing to help us protect as many people as we can from this terrible disease,” Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna said in a press release.

    The United States ordered 200 million doses of the Moderna vaccine, enough to vaccinate 100 million people.

    Patient receiving a dose of the Moderna vaccine. Photo courtesy of the New York Times.

    The first doses will be given to health care workers and residents in long-term care facilities within days.

    Moderna has about 5.9 million doses ready for shipment set to begin during the weekend, according to operation Warp Speed, the US government’s vaccine development program. The first Moderna vaccines are expected to be administered on Monday.

    Moderna has said it plans to deliver approximately 20 million doses to the US government this year, and will provide the 200 million doses by end of June 2021.

  • Kenya orders 24M doses of COVID-19 Vaccine


    By: Sumaya Hussein (husseinsumaya1@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail photo courtesy of reuters


    Kenya has joined other countries in securing Covid-19 vaccines and has ordered 24 million doses from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. This is enough to cover 20% of the country’s population.
    Acting director-general of health, Dr Patrick Amoth said that each dose will be about $3 (Sh320) and cost the country a total of Sh10 billion.

    The amount is already heavily discounted by Gavi through donations from several developed countries, the World Bank and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, among others. “The first to be vaccinated will be frontline workers, then the vulnerable and the elderly,” said Amoth. He, however, did not specify a timeframe but vaccines are expected early next year.


    Amoth said that Gavi has signed agreements with manufacturers of about nine vaccine candidates. Kenya therefore did not dictate which vaccine to receive, but the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will be ideal for the country because it fits within its cold chain supply system.

    Acting Health DG Dr Patrick Amoth during a past COVID-19 press briefing. Photo courtesy of Citizen TV.


    Kenya also launched clinical trials for the AstraZeneca vaccine in Kilifi in October. An emergency use approval is yet to be granted by the Health Ministry.
    “Once they get approval from the European Medicines Agency and in the UK, then we will also consider granting such authorization in Kenya,” said Amoth.


    The announcement means Kenya has applied for the largest number of doses in East Africa.
    Last week on Thursday, Uganda’s Health Ministry, said it ordered 9 million doses to cover 20% of the country’s population.
    “Plans are underway to secure additional doses of the vaccine to cover more people,” said the Ugandan Ministry in a statement.


    Rwanda’s Minister of Health Daniel Ngamije on Sunday also announced they had applied for either the AstraZeneca or the Moderna vaccine. He, however, did not say how many doses they had applied for but hoped they would be the among the first African countries to receive them.

    VA medical syringe and a vial in front of the AstraZeneca Vaccine. Photo courtesy of Times

    Egypt applied for 20 million doses from Gavi and expected to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.
    Gavi is supplying Covid-19 vaccines to 92 developing countries including Kenya through a facility called Covax. Covax was created by Gavi, UNICEF and the WHO to deliver two billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines by the end of 2021. The facility says it has already secured millions of ready-made doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca candidate, ready for distribution to the 92 developing countries.


    Experts say although there won’t be enough vaccines for every Kenyan, getting the shots to the right people could help tame the pandemic.

  • FDA to approve Moderna Vaccine in the US

    By: Sumaya Hussein (husseinsumaya1@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail photo courtesy of Getty Images

    Food and Drug Administration (FDA) say that Moderna’s vaccine is safe and 95% effective, clearing the way for US emergency authorization.


    This comes one day after Americans across the country began receiving doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
    Once approved by the FDA vaccine panel, Moderna will become the second coronavirus vaccine to be allowed in the US and shipments could begin within 24 hours.

    A patient receiving a dose of the Moderna Vaccine. Photo courtesy of New York Times

    Moderna’s data was released by the FDA on Tuesday, ahead of the vaccine panel’s meeting to discuss the drug on Friday. The 54-page document said there were “no specific safety concerns” and that serious adverse reactions were rare. The data also suggests that its vaccine begins to prevent asymptomatic infections after the first dose. This is highly effective because this helps significantly slow the spread of the coronavirus. FDA analysts found that the Moderna vaccine was effective “across age groups, gender, racial and ethnic groups, and participants with underlying conditions”. In addition, the research “suggested benefit of the vaccine in preventing severe Covid-19.”


    The issues of effectiveness against severe disease have been raised about the studies of vaccines for Covid. The Moderna study found 30 cases of severe disease in the control group, versus zero in the vaccine group.

    The FDA found no specific safety concerns that would preclude its authorization of the vaccine. Most common side effects included injection-site pain, fatigue, headache and chills.
    Severe adverse reactions were rare but occurred more frequently after the second dose of the vaccine than after the first.


    For instance, about 9.1% of vaccine recipients had an injection site reaction that was classified as “grade 3,”. This the FDA defines as severe of medically significant, but not immediately life-threatening. In comparison, fewer than 1% of the control group had grade 3 injection-site reactions.
    Some 16.5% of vaccine recipients had systemic adverse reactions – such as fever and fatigue- with the severity of at least grade 3 and 3.7% among the control group. Severe fatigue was more common after the second dose after the first. The FDA last week authorized emergency use of the vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech, which began distribution this week.


    Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, Moderna’s does not require ultra-cold storage during shipping. Instead, it requires temperatures of around -20C for shipping – similar to a regular freezer. The Pfizer vaccine requires temperatures closer to -70C, making transport logistics much more difficult.

    A shipment of the Pfizer vaccine delivered to US on Monday. Photo courtesy of Wall Street Journal.


    The primary goal of the studies of both Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccines was to measure whether they prevented symptomatic COVID-19 disease, including severe disease.
    However, people can still become infected affected and transmit the virus without showing any symptoms.

    A Pfizer executive said last week that the company was studying whether its vaccine protects against asymptomatic Covid-19 and hope to complete the analysis early next year.