Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care clarified why the pregnant, the old and those with underlying conditions whose condition was unstable were being discouraged from taking the vaccine after inoculating about 32000 Zimbabweans.

“Naturally pregnant women are a special group. They are usually excluded from all the vaccination programmes,” said Dr Raiva Simbi.

“Those with comorbidities, underlying chronic illnesses, can be vaccinated if they are stable, but if they are not we discourage them from getting vaccinated.

“Then the elderly. These usually have some underlying conditions, but as long as they are stable they can take the vaccines.”

He said the vaccines are aimed at boosting people’s immunity against the virus to give individuals a chance of fighting the infection.