Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu has been vaccinated against Covid-19.
“We are not an island and that is why now we are starting vaccination,” said the president who took office in March.
Her predecessor, the late John Magufuli, was a coronavirus sceptic and was opposed to foreign-made vaccines.
Mrs Samia has taken a different direction, urging the public to follow preventive guidelines.
The country recently received one million Johnson & Johnson vaccines through the Covax initiative.
At the launch ceremony, President Samia urged all Tanzanians to get vaccinated and said that more doses would be obtained.
She said she wouldn’t lead the country on a dangerous path as she was a mother, grandmother as well as president.
The 61-year-old added:
I’ve had several vaccines since birth and they ones we were given as babies have offered protection all those years, so I have no worries.”
Musicians performed a song asking people to get a jab and follow guidelines – though those at the ceremony used two microphones without sanitising them.
On Tuesday, Africa CDC praised the measure President Samia has put in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
