The authorities in Mozambique, pressing on with the national vaccination drive there, began yesterday giving second doses of the vaccine against COVID-19 devised by Sinopharm Group Co. Ltd of China, Jornal Notícias reports.

The Mozambican newspaper quotes Public Health Deputy National Director Benigna Matsinhe as telling Mozambicans on Tuesday to return after 21 days to the vaccination centre where they got their first jab, to get their second.

This month the Chinese Embassy in Maputo announced that Mozambique had received 700,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine.

The Portuguese news agency, Lusa, reported at the time that the shipment would allow the Mozambican authorities to begin inoculating people aged 50 or older, public servants, public transport workers and teachers.