A student awaits her certificate after vaccination against COVID-19 in a school in Maputo, Mozambique, Sept. 27, 2022. (Photo by Israel Zefanias/Xinhua)
MAPUTO, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Mozambican Health Ministry launched Tuesday the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 among adolescents aged 12 to 17 nationwide.
First dose vaccination will last until October 11 and take place in schools, markets, and bus terminals, among other places with a dense population through mobile brigades, according to a statement released by the ministry.
This is the country's fourth phase of mass vaccination against COVID-19 since the priority groups started to receive the jabs as early as March last year.
The ministry encouraged all eligible adolescents in the country to take the vaccine, so as "to be better protected from the infections, hospitalizations, and deaths caused by the COVID-19 pandemic."
The health minister is expected to make an official statement on more details of the campaign in the coming days.
Mozambique has reportedly vaccinated 15.4 million people against the coronavirus disease, which equals 96.6 percent of the target population.
The country currently has 85 active COVID-19 cases, and one patient hospitalized, according to the ministry's latest update. ■
A student receives a jab of vaccination against COVID-19 in a school in Maputo, Mozambique, Sept. 27, 2022. (Photo by Israel Zefanias/Xinhua)