Malawi is expecting 885 600 new Covid-19 vaccine doses comprising of AstraZeneca and Pfizer.

Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda confirmed of the development during a media briefing in the capital Lilongwe today.

Kandodo said that 153 600 doses of AstraZeneca are due to arrive in the country this Saturday while 372 000 doses of Pfizer vaccine will arrive in the third quarter of this month and 360 000 more doses of AstraZeneca shall arrive at the end of the month.

In a related development, the country has received 30 portable freezers from the United States Government to be used for storing Pfizer vaccine.

The freezers will be able to maintain temperatures up to minus 80 degrees Celsius and are equipped with alternate power supply mechanism to maintain the cold chain.

The freezers will be using regular electricity from Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) but can also be plugged to the cigarette lighter socket in a vehicle during transportation.