The Seychelles launched its national COVID-19 immunisation campaign this week, and has become the first country in Africa to do so.

Seychelles President, Wavel Ramkalawan also said the country aimed to be the first in the world to vaccinate 70% of the population over the age of 18.

It has begun administering the vaccine to selected groups of the population, starting with frontline workers, including health care workers and tourism industry operators.

"The COVID-19 immunisation campaign is an important milestone for the restart of our tourism industry as the country balances its efforts to maintain its tourism activities and protect its population from further spread of the virus,” said Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde. He said that the economy of Seychelles depended on rebuilding the tourism industry.

Abu Dhabi has donated 50 000 doses of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, developed in China. A second batch of vaccines will be donated soon by the UAE and the Indian government has offered 100 000 doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, which is due to arrive in the country at the end of January.