Cameroon's national vaccination campaign was launched on April 12, 2021, amid a nationwide outbreak of COVID-19 with two types of vaccines. This study provides preliminary evidence of the level of coverage of the population and gives an early overview of the challenges, the achievements and the lessons learned. COVID-19 vaccine administration data were obtained from data of the Cameroon Ministry of Public Health. Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted. Thirty days after the introduction of COVID 19 vaccines, five percent of the target population was vaccinated. Women represented one third of the people vaccinated regardless of age and health conditions. Although AEFI reported were minor and scanty with both vaccines, the majority of the vaccinated did not come back for their second dose. There is a need to build confidence among eligible beneficiaries in order to expand the benefits of vaccination to control the current pandemic. The country is still far below the target which could be worrisome given that the uptake is slow and, the 391 200 doses of the AstraZeneca are going to expire in August 2021. This study offers insights into those early efforts as a contribution to significant discussions about upcoming approach to improve service delivery and uptake.

No abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all economies and life support systems world-wide. Owing to the pandemic's unpredictable nature, experts and policymakers struggle to find a headway to slow infections and further economic deterioration. The purpose of this study is to assess East African Community (EAC) states’ early responses and the pandemic’s impacts on the tourism industry. Data were collected through a review of secondary data, including academic and media reports. Special attention was paid to respective policy responses during the early stages of the pandemic outbreak. Findings show that Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda employed more robust measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, whereas Tanzania and Burundi resorted to censorship and protectionism. The EAC should quickly learn from the current crisis and devise strategies to handle future shocks to the tourism-system. The states should prioritize economic diversification, retraining of the workforce, global engagement, and collaborative management.