The NCDC made this known via its official website on Sunday, adding that Edo, Kano, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory contributed the remaining figure.

The health agency said that the new cases brought the country’s total of COVID-19 infections to 266,492.

It said that the cases were recorded between December 31, 2022 and January 13.

“From December 31 to January 6, 13 new confirmed cases have been recorded in Nigeria.

“The 13 new cases are reported from two states – Lagos (12) and Edo (one),” it said.

According to the report, the NCDC confirmed that the country recorded 29 new cases from January 7 to  13; and the new cases are reported from, Lagos (15), FCT (five), Kano (four), Nasarawa (three), Kaduna (one) and Plateau (one).

It also said that a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre activated at Level 2, had continued to coordinate the national response activities.

Meanwhile, the country registered 266,492 COVID-19 confirmed cases, 3,155 deaths, and 259,858 cases had been discharged across 36 states including the FCT.

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, has continued to advocate for citizens to get their COVID-19 vaccine.

“If you are yet to be vaccinated, visit the nearest vaccination site to receive your Johnson and Johnson single-dose vaccine.

“All COVID-19 vaccines are free, safe and effective,” it said.

Source: NAN

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The handover of the vaccines was done on Monday at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, National Strategic Cold Store, Abuja.

The EU ambassador, Mr Samuela Isopi, who presented the vaccines, said the donation was part of the EU’s commitment to jointly combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, said the federal government also, in combating the pandemic, had procured over 39 million doses of the J&J vaccine, through the AFREXIM bank.

The federal government in August 2021 took delivery of 177,600 J&J vaccines in Abuja, marking the first wave of arrivals of COVID-19 vaccines procured through the African Union.

In September 2021, additional 1,123,200 doses of the J&J vaccine were received, which the NPHCD said were part of the 39,800,000 doses procured by the federal government.

The single-shot J&J vaccine was received through the African Vaccine Acquisition Team, AVAT, of the African Union, a facility provided by Afri.

Shuaib said about 12 million doses of the single-shot vaccine were currently in the cold store.

According to him, the J&J vaccines will be given to those who are in the hard-to-reach areas (riverine areas, desert areas and security-compromised areas).

He said that was because the J&J vaccine required only a single dose for full vaccination, noting that by that, the health workers would be able to do what was called a ‘touch and go’ without compromising their safety.

He said the federal government was committed to a safe, equitable and effective COVID-19 vaccination programme.

“Let me also mention that the availability of different vaccine brands does not in any way mean that some categories of people are selected for high quality vaccines while others are targeted for low quality vaccines.

“All COVID-19 vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation are safe and can deliver adequate protection against the disease.

“While choice of vaccine is left for eligible persons to make, it is important to note that no particular vaccine brand is preferable to the other,” he said.

The NPHCDA stated that the country had vaccinated 15,792,392 (14.1 per cent) of her eligible population with the first dose.

“We are using the platform of COVID-19 vaccination to also make available access to other primary healthcare interventions.

“We have been engaging with the poor performing states to identify areas where they would require more support from us and to also help them in identifying areas where they can improve in order to ramp up their vaccination coverage.

“Last week, we were in Enugu State where we engaged all the stakeholders in the five South East states with our attention now focused on the states.

“We hope to see a more rapid vaccine coverage over the next couple of weeks,” he said.

Source: NAN

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Mr Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to Federal Government, SGF, and Chairman of the PSC, said in Abuja on Monday that: “As the director general of the World Health Organisation (WHO) just stated today,  the emergence of the highly-mutated Omicron variant underlines just how perilous and precarious our situation is.

“South Africa and Botswana should be commended for detecting, sequencing and reporting this variant, not penalised.

“​Nigerians and residents are therefore urged to get fully vaccinated, frequently tested, and continue to strictly adhere to the non-pharmaceutical intervention measures, including physical distancing, proper wearing of face mask, ensure proper ventilation and hand hygiene.

“However, the PSC is reviewing the situation around the world and putting in place measures to curtail the impact of the variant on the country.”

Mustapha further said that the PSC was aware of some travellers who circumvented travel protocols by providing fake COVID-19 test results, permit to travel certificates or declaring fake vaccination status at points of entry.

He added that “the weight of the law is heavy and will come hard on these people.”

On the December 1 deadline for vaccine mandate for civil servants, the PSC chairman said “the vaccine mandate will come into effect fully on December 1, 2021 and I encourage every federal government worker and in essence, all Nigerians and residents to get vaccinated.

“The NPHCDA is ramping up vaccination around the country to ensure that citizens have access to the vaccines wherever they may be. The vaccines are available, so, we need people to go get their jabs.

“With the developments around the world, people will not be able to travel without their verified vaccination cards.”

On the suspension of ban on Emirates Airlines, he said “the PSC will want to inform you that the impasse on the Nigeria – UAE flights have been resolved in the interest of both parties.

“Although this process has taken so long to pull through with its ripple effects, we thank everyone involved in getting this deal. A date for the commencement of flights between the two countries will be announced in due course.”

Source: NAN

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The NPHCDA Executive Director, Dr Faisal Shuaib, made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja at the National Briefing of the Presidential Steering Committee, PSC, on COVID-19.

“We have been monitoring how states have been intensifying the ramp up of COVID-19 vaccination. We have ranked them according to performance.

“As of today, the top five states are Ogun State (1^st), Nasarawa State (2^nd), Oyo State (3th), Osun State (4^th) and Ekiti (5^th).

“We will continue to provide you with daily updates of how governors of states are leading the effort to ensure their citizens are fully protected with COVID-19 vaccination,” he said.

On the December 1, 2021 deadline for vaccine mandate for civil servants, Shuaib said that starting from December 1, federal government employees would be required to show evidence of being vaccinated against COVID-19, or a negative PCR result done within 72 hours before being allowed into their offices.

“To further ease access to COVID-19 vaccines by government employees, we have also commenced office-to-office vaccination in Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

“What this simply means is that employees who are yet to be vaccinated will find a vaccination site around their offices to register and get vaccinated.

“This will help in preventing the excuse of having to leave their place of employment to a distant vaccination site,” he said.

According to Shuaib, from time to time, civil servants will be picked at random to check or assess their COVID-19 antibody to detect persons who may have fraudulently acquired the vaccination cards without vaccination.

“Anyone who has been found to have fraudulently obtained the vaccination card without vaccination would be handed over to the law enforcement authorities.

“The vaccines are free and are available at sites close to you.

“We have also engaged and are collaborating with the Nigerian Military, Police and the Para-Military institutions in the establishment of mass vaccination sites in their locations around the country.

“We will also be assisting with the deployment of our vaccination teams to all sites identified by these institutions,” he said.

Shuiab called on Nigerians and residents to take the COVID-19 vaccination.

He said that every COVID-19 infection gave the coronavirus a chance to mutate, adding that being vaccinated helped prevent variants.

“At this point, we would also like to address the myth that says if one has had the COVID-19 disease and has recovered from it, they are protected and do not need to get vaccinated.

“This is false as studies have shown that if you have had COVID-19 before and are not vaccinated, your risk of getting reinfected is more than two times higher than those who were infected and got vaccinated.

“We are aware that people hesitate to get vaccinated against COVID-19 for many reasons  ranging from personal views and fears to logistical problems of getting to vaccination sites.

“But waiting too long to be vaccinated allows the virus to continue spreading in the community with the emergence of new variants.

“Severe COVID-19 can be very dangerous, so the sooner you get vaccinated, the sooner you are protected,” he said.

The NPHCDA boss said that was a period of intensive drive to protect Nigerians against this new variant and indeed a 4th wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the agency was not taking anything for granted and not compromising on safety and standards, but fully monitoring all adverse events following immunization.

“But as I have always appealed, we need the support of all Nigerians.

“We need every vaccinated Nigerian to appeal to their family members, their loved ones, their neighbours, and members of their communities to get vaccinated so that we are all protected.

“It is indeed a collective responsibility,” he said.

According to him, this is a clarion call to those who had yet to be vaccinated to hurry up and take advantage of our mass vaccination campaign to receive COVID-19 vaccines.

Shuiab said that those who had received their first dose should also endeavour to go and get their second dose on their due dates, for full protection.

Source: NAN

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Ehanire said this on Monday in Abuja, at the national briefing of the Presidential Steering Committee, PSC, on COVID-19.

“Nigeria has so far tested a total of 3,392,457 samples, of which 213,147 were confirmed positive for COVID-19, while active cases are 4,447 and cases discharged to date are 205,732.

“There have sadly been 2,968 COVID-19-related fatalities with a case fatality rate of 1.39 per cent.

“The present infection surge in certain European countries, who already had vaccination over 60 per cent, is proof that full vaccination is no reason to drop our guard, or a guarantee against infection,” Ehanire said.

The minister also said that bed occupancy in the week under review was 16.17 per cent in 86 isolation wards, and oxygen was widely available, mainly in cylinders, with oxygen concentrators as back up.

“There is no surge in demand. A review of oxygen situation in 125 treatment centres is ongoing, to also identify non-functional plants for repair,” he said.

Ehanire said majority of patients (67 per cent) on admission in isolation wards had co-morbidities like diabetes, hypertension, obesity and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are known determinants of the severity of COVID-19 illness.

“The same finding has been made in some Eastern European countries where severe waves of COVID-19 are currently raging.

“Despite palpable fatigue among citizens on adherence to COVID-19 preventive protocols, I have hardly encountered any person who didn’t have a face mask.

“Oddly enough, they would leave their mask on their pocket or handbag and wear it on demand.

“Others wear it on their chin. The mask is not helpful anywhere except it is covering the mouth and nose.

“Global trends suggest that public health measures like masks and social distancing are still a very useful protection against infection,” he said.

The minister said that the vaccines Nigeria is administering on its citizens are trusted, urging all citizens to drop their hesitancy and get vaccinated.

“It is commonplace in many foreign countries now that proof of COVID-19 vaccination is needed, in order to be admitted to restaurants, cinemas, nightclubs, and even to board aircraft on international flights.

“This trend is intensifying around the world and will, no doubt, begin to take root in Nigeria in due course.

“I will not be surprised if domestic Airlines start to demand vaccination cards, before boarding,”

“I advise that nobody should be left behind in vaccination, lest they face an embarrassing situation,” he said.

Source: NAN

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The Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, said this at the bi-weekly briefing of the Presidential Steering Committee, PSC, on Monday in Abuja.

The over three million vaccinated Nigerians were vaccinated eight months after the country started the vaccination of its citizens against coronavirus.

Shuaib said 5,891,305 eligible Nigerians had received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, which represented 5.3 per cent of the eligible population.

He added that 3,252,067 Nigerians had received their second dose and were fully vaccinated, representing only 2.9 per cent of the overall population of eligible persons.

He explained that the overall population of eligible Nigerians targeted for COVID-19 vaccination to enable the country reach herd immunity against the virus was 111,776,503.

The NPHCDA boss said the federal government had adequate doses of vaccines in store to cover a large percentage of the population.

He added that the country had received 3,924,000 doses of AstraZeneca (AZ) in batches between October 22 and  25th from the COVAX facility.

He noted that the country also received a combination of 1,022,400 doses of AZ as donations from the governments of Germany, Switzerland, and Italy from COVAX last week.

Shuaib said the federal government had received commitment of over 11.99 million and 12.2 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines respectively.

“We also have received commitment of 4,953,600 doses of Moderna as donation from US government through COVAX. These are a few of the doses coming in batches in December and January 2022.

“We would also like to remind us that the Federal Government procured 39,800,000 doses of J&J COVID-19 vaccine through the AVATT and these have been coming in batches,” he said.

He appealed to persons 18 years and above and unvaccinated to simply walk into the nearest vaccination site to take their COVID-19 vaccine.

“It is free, safe, effective and protects you, your family and your community. And if you have taken your first dose, check your vaccination card for your due date and ensure you take the second dose for full protection,” he said.

He stated that the agency would initiate the COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Campaign to reach more Nigerians.

He said the idea of mass vaccination campaign was to quickly increase the number of fully vaccinated eligible population.

This, he hinted, would move the country towards achieving herd immunity and creating an enabling environment for economic recovery and a return to social normalcy in the country.

“The mass vaccination campaigns will require mass mobilisation of Nigerians for increased vaccine uptake.

“This cannot be done successfully without the support of all critical stakeholders including governors, commissioners, the LGA chairmen, traditional and religious leaders, the Civil Society Organisations, the State Ministries of Health, the State Primary Healthcare Boards, all health professionals and our professional media community,” he said.

Shuaib said efforts were ongoing to engage with stakeholders to promote awareness and vaccine confidence.

He said the government aimed to vaccinate at least 50 per cent of the  population by the end of January 2022.

“We will be conducting the national flag off of this mass vaccination campaign this Friday November 19 by 10 a.m.,” he said.

The NPHCDA boss said any Nigerian found obtaining the COVID-19 vaccination card illegally (buying or selling) would be made to face the law.

He said the Joint Task Force on COVID-19, which included security agents from the ICPC, DSS and other relevant security agencies remained on alert at every corner of the country and were regularly making impromptu checks.

He noted that it would also be extremely difficult to use fraudulently obtained cards outside the country.

“There is a case of one Mr Amako who attempted to travel outside the country with a vaccination card that could not be validated.

“Upon investigation, the reason for the non-validation was that the expiry date of the 1st and 2nd dose was altered, there were inconsistencies with the vaccine expiration dates and batch number and the QR code scanned belonged to another person.

“This clearly showed that Mr Amako illegally obtained the vaccination card without getting vaccinated. He was denied travel and his case is currently with the law enforcement authorities,” he disclosed.

Source: NAN

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The quest for population immunity is the underlying reason for the vaccine mandate Nigeria rolled out on 13 October for federal civil servants to increase the number of persons immunised against Covid-19.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha announced the requirement for federal employees to vaccinate or ensure they bring negative vaccine tests from three-days-prior validity. It seemed like a tall order pointing in only one direction. The regulation would take effect from 1 December 2021, more than six weeks from now.

Mustapha’s words stated: “With effect from 1st December 2021, Federal Government employees shall be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result done within 72 hours, to gain access to their offices, in all locations within Nigeria and our Missions. An appropriate service wide advisory/circular will be issued to guide the process.”

Officials explain that the vaccine mandate for civil servants is necessary owing to the nature of their job that requires constant interface with citizens from various walks of life.

Officials explain that the vaccine mandate for civil servants is necessary owing to the nature of their job that requires constant interface with citizens from various walks of life. They are thus a priority for control efforts.

Dr Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, the agency in charge of vaccination, stated at a press briefing that the measure is not punitive but seeks the protection of the larger populace. Nigeria is following global best practice, aspiring to acquire herd immunity when 70 per cent of the population is vaccinated.

Dr  Shuaib gave a clarification: In making a pronouncement that by 1st December, all federal government employees would have to show proof of vaccination or negative PCR test. We are clearly aware that we have to put in place all of the machinery, all of the processes and allow federal government employees access to get these vaccinations in locations that are nearest to them.

“You should also be mindful of the fact that a lot of these federal government employees have already gotten the vaccine anyway, but of course this is a small fraction, a minority of these employees that are not taking the vaccine, continue to pose a risk to other colleagues. These are the people that we need to be sure are negative before they have access to the institution. So, we have to emphasize the fact that there is an option for people to take.

“It is not that people are being forced to take the vaccine. You have the option of not taking the vaccine but actually showing negative PCR test so that you cannot be among the people that are infecting others.”

Mustapha added an advisory and caution as citizens prepare for large religious observances by both Muslims and Christians.

“The PSC wishes to put Nigerians on notice that two major religious festivities (Salah and Christmas) are approaching, and we shall be experiencing increased passenger traffic in and out of the country. Similarly, events of large gatherings are likely to hold. While the PSC prepares to escalate surveillance and other control activities, we urge the States and all Nigerians to also increase their vigilance and take measure to moderate activities”, Mustapha cautioned.

Nigeria had by 13 October 2021 vaccinated four million citizens. Two million six hundred thousand (2,645,020) persons have received the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine and 1,407,736 eligible persons got the first dose of Moderna vaccine.

Shuaib stated: “To end this pandemic, we must achieve enough level of population immunity when the virus essentially becomes a nuisance and no longer a threat. The only way to achieve this is if eligible persons come out for vaccination and observe the non-pharmaceutical interventions. The COVID-19 vaccines remain the most effective tool against this virus.”

He noted that vaccine mandates have become a global practice. “With the increasing number of cases of COVID-19 globally, we are beginning to see countries instituting vaccine mandates. Some countries have begun asking workers to either present a proof of vaccination or provide weekly COVID-19 PCR negative results to be allowed into public offices”, he stated.

The NPHCDA boss points to science and empirical data in support of the measure. “A recent study by the United States Centre for Disease Control which examined 600,000 COVID-19 cases, revealed that people who were unvaccinated were about four and a half times more likely to contract COVID-19. It further showed that those who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 were eleven times more likely to die of the disease and ten times more likely to be hospitalized with the disease. We should also be mindful of the long-term effects of COVID-19 infection, which is characterized by blood clotting disorders, lung, and kidney problems”.

Federal health officials tread carefully in managing Covid-19. They are careful to dispel any doubts about the efficacy and necessity for vaccination against the backdrop that nature has spared Nigeria from a feared tsunami.

Shuaib emphasised the necessity for the vaccination. He also asked officials at all levels of the chain and citizens to be careful with the vaccines available. For one, do not mix the vaccines for the first and second doses. If you take AstraZeneca for the first dose, officials must ensure that the second dose is also AstraZeneca.

“Let me emphasize that all COVID-19 vaccines are safe and capable of protecting people against the disease. We do not promote preference of one vaccine brand over the other, and we strongly discourage mixing of vaccine brand for first and second doses”, said the NPHCDA boss.

Foremost is the fact that vaccination is free to all citizens. No state should charge for vaccination.

The Federal Government urges states to take full control of the vaccine doses they receive and ensure compliance with regulations. Foremost is the fact that vaccination is free to all citizens. No state should charge for vaccination. States also need to ensure they do prevent situations where medical personnel circumvent procedures to sell vaccines or vaccine certificates.

Shuaib issued the Riot Act. “Any State found to be condoning acts of corruption will no longer be allocated vaccines. We have received reports of people trying to procure cards from health workers. These reports are being investigated and anyone found wanting would be prosecuted. It is important to emphasize that it is in the interest of public safety and collective well-being of Nigerians that the Federal Government has made available these vaccines free for all eligible persons”.

The NPHCDA boss also informed Nigerians that corporate vaccination had been instituted to make it easier for workers who are too busy at their workplace to receive the vaccination at their office premises. He stated that the corporate vaccination for Ministries, Departments, Agencies, public and private corporate organizations will be provided free of charge. States and Local Governments are also reminded that no fees/levies should be demanded from the corporate bodies when teams are sent to provide these services.

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Dr. Faisal Shuaib, Executive-Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, stated this on Monday, in Abuja, at the national briefing by the Presidential Steering Committee, PSC, on COVID-19.

According to Shuaib, no fewer than 4,734,769 eligible people in Nigeria had received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine as at Sept. 26.

He said: “This comprises 3,040,000 with first dose AstraZeneca and 1,694,769 with the first dose of Moderna.

“This represents 4.2 per cent of the 111,776,503 eligible populations, targeted to receive full doses of the vaccines for Nigeria to achieve herd immunity.

“Out of the total vaccinated, 1,892,092 eligible persons have received their second dose of which 1,825,739 have been fully vaccinated with AstraZeneca, while 66,353 eligible persons were fully vaccinated with Moderna.”

The NPHCDA boss, however, warned that it was a criminal offence for anyone to fraudulently acquire COVID-19 cards without receiving the vaccine, just as buying and selling of COVID-19 vaccines and cards, through racketeering, were also criminal offences.

He said the federal government provided the vaccines free of charge to all eligible persons, warning that officers in charge of designated health facility would be held accountable for every vaccination card and Quick Response (QR) code.

He said: “These must match the quantities of vaccines and devices provided. Supervisors and the newly established joint task force (JTF) would be examining the records in health facilities to ensure consistency in inventories.

“States will be supported to strengthen their monitoring mechanisms, as well as urge all Nigerians to report anyone who tries to buy or sell the vaccination cards to the NPHCDA and other offices.”

He added that a statement on Saturday by the British High Commission, Abuja, that the vaccines administered in Nigeria were recognised and approved by their regulatory body, was a plus for Nigeria.

Shuaib also said that the British High Commission had, in the statement, noted that as from October 4 they would be simplifying their classification process to ‘red list’ and ‘rest of the World’.

“This indicates that the on-going vaccination exercise in Nigeria is widely recognised.

“Please, let us not let carriers of misinformation and disinformation prevent us from taking the decision to protect ourselves, our family and our loved ones,” he said.

The NPHCDA boss said that a lot more work needed to be done for Nigeria to reach its target goal of vaccinating not less than 70 per cent of the eligible population of 111,776,503.

He said that such vaccination should not only be done “in terms of provision of vaccines, but more importantly in terms of mobilising our friends, families and communities to get vaccinated.”

Source: NAN

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The Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, disclosed this at the briefing of the Presidential Steering Committee, PSC, on COVID-19 on Monday, in Abuja.

The progress was recorded in the six months since the country commenced the COVID-19 vaccination of its citizens.

“1,692,315 persons have received two doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines, as approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).

“As at Monday evening, 4,052,756 eligible Nigerians have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccines.

“This is made up of 2,645,020 persons with the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine and 1,407,736 persons with first dose of the Moderna vaccine,” Shuaib said.

According to him, “a total of 1,692,315 eligible persons are fully vaccinated and we currently have a national average of 70.4 per cent utilisation of the 2,000,040 doses of the Moderna vaccines we received.”

Shuaib said that the 36 states and the federal capital had been guided not to exceed their 50 per cent utilisation rates for the Moderna vaccines in order to reserve the second doses for all those already vaccinated.

He noted that most states had reached the percentage and priority was now being focused on administering AstraZeneca vaccine as first dose vaccine in all states of the federation.

Shuaib urged states yet to publish their vaccination sites to do so across the various media platforms – Newspapers, radio, TV, and social media, to enable people locate their nearest vaccination site.

“The list of vaccination sites across the country is also available on the NPHCDA website: www.nphcda.gov.ng and eligible persons who are unable to register by themselves can go to any designated health facility where he/she will be assisted by our vaccination teams,” he said.

Shuaib noted that state governments were responsible for the protection of the vaccines and vaccination cards sent to them, warning that vaccines would no longer be allocated to states found condoning any acts of corruption in the process of vaccination.

“We have received reports of people trying to procure cards from health workers, these reports are being investigated and anyone found wanting would be prosecuted.

“It is important to emphasise that it is in the interest of public safety and collective well-being of Nigerians that the federal government has made available these vaccines free for all eligible persons,” Shuaib stated.

He reiterated that government would continue to work with stakeholders and partners, to ensure delivery of safe and efficacious COVID-19 vaccination in the country.

Nigeria commenced COVID-19 vaccination on March 5, 2021, having received approximately four million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines from COVAX, an initiative aimed at ensuring equitable distribution of vaccines globally.

The country recently launched the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccinations, after receiving another four million doses of Moderna vaccines from the U.S government.

The country also received another 177,600 doses of Johnson and Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccines from the African Union (AU).

On August 17, Nigeria similarly took delivery of another 699,760 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines from the UK government.

Before the commencement of COVID-19 vaccination, the government had set an ambitious target of vaccinating 40 per cent of its over 200 million population before the end of 2021, and 70 per cent by the end of 2022.

Source: NAN

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The Director Press, PSC, on COVID-19 Mr. Willie Bassey, made this known in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja.

The exercise was earlier scheduled to commence on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja.

The PSC announced the second phase of vaccination against the virus having received four million doses of moderna vaccines donated by the United States government through COVAX.

The U.S President, Joe Biden, had in May pledged to share 80 million vaccines with countries around the world to protect the most vulnerable.

Of this number, Africa is expected to receive 25 million.

The first shipments to Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Ethiopia and now Nigeria have been delivered.

According to Bassey, the exercise was postponed due to some unforeseen circumstances.

The statement reads in part: “This is to announce the postponement of the national flag-off of phase II vaccination programme earlier scheduled for Tuesday this week due to unforeseen circumstances.

“A new date will be communicated,” it said.

Following the increasing COVID-19 cases linked to the highly transmissible delta variants, the government confirmed the third wave of the pandemic in the country.

As of August 7, the country has recorded 177,615 coronavirus cases and 2,185 fatalities, data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, shows.

Although the country commenced inoculation of its citizens against COVID-19 in early March, only 3,938,945 eligible persons across 36 states and FCT have so far been vaccinated.

Out of the figure, 2,534,205 people have been vaccinated for the first dose and 1,404,205 have received their second dose of the vaccine.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine with which Nigeria commenced vaccination, is given in double doses. A person is required to come back for a second shot, some weeks after taking the first jab.

However, following the exhaustion of approximately four million doses of vaccines delivered through the COVAX facility, the government announced the close of vaccination of the first batch.

COVAX is a United Nations-backed effort that promises access to vaccines for up to 20 per cent of participating countries’ populations.

To achieve herd immunity against the virus, the Nigeria government had set an ambitious goal of vaccinating 40 per cent of its over 200 million population before the end of 2021, and 70 per cent by the end of 2022.

To achieve this, “the vaccine roll-out will be in four phases, starting with health workers, frontline workers, COVID-19 rapid response team, laboratory network, policemen, petrol station workers and strategic leaders,” the executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, had said.

Faisal said the second phase would capture older adults aged 50 years and above and those with co-morbidities aged between 18 and 49 years of age.

He said; “Phase 3– Those in states/LGAs with high disease burden and who missed phases 1 and 2, and Phase 4 will include other eligible populations as vaccines become available.”

Meanwhile, the country is also expecting about 700,000 doses in the coming week and another 3.9 million doses by mid-August.

Source: NAN

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