208,000 vaccinated in Cross River, 5 million across Nigeria ― WHO, UNICEF

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), have said that about 130,000 persons and 78,000 persons had been vaccinated during the first and in the second phases of COVID-19 vaccination in Cross River State, and close to five million persons had been vaccinated across Nigeria as at last week.

Speaking in a presentation at the launching of a UNICEF National Covid-19 Vaccination Sensitization and Mobilization initiative at the University Of Cross River State, Calabar, On Thursday, November 11, the Cross River state coordinator, WHO, Mrs Chisom Emeka, stated that there had been two phases of vaccination that have had about 208,000 persons vaccinated, and encouraged young people to get vaccinated.

“It is our duty to ensure that all eligible individuals are vaccinated. These include people that are 18years old and above. And we know that, these eligible individuals can be gotten from our Tertiary institutions, that is why we are here.

“Covid-19 Vaccination started in Nigeria in March 2021 and in Cross River state, the first phase we had 130,000 persons vaccinated while in the second phase, we had 78,000 persons vaccinated. So we are not forcing you, but we want you to see reasons why you should be vaccinated because measures are in place to ensure vaccine availability and accessibility”, she said.

Reacting, some students cited phobia for injection middles, side effects speculations and misinformation as reasons why they had not been vaccinated

“I am Boris. I don’t like needles. I don’t like the needles piercing my skin, and as for the vaccine, I am afraid and surprised how it came so fast and it is new, so that is my reason for not being vaccinated”, he said.

Another student, Miss kelechi, said “it is a very new vaccine, so let us test it first by the officials before we take it”.

James Ogar said, “Charity begins at home, so I want to see the officials take it first so that I will be sure that it is safe.”

Mr Isaac, from the Faculty of Education, said “I want all our leaders to take it first before we take it because the speed of the vaccine production is not normal in our Nigerian environment because usually not is supposed to delay. So that’s my fear. I want all our governors and senators to take it”.

Meanwhile, some of the students also said they expected the government to curb the rate of misinformation that existed about the COVID-19.

They also expected more young people to become interested in the vaccination exercise, as they appealed that the vaccines should not be imposed and should be sure that the vaccines had no side effects on their health.

Declaring the event open, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Augustine O. Angba, appreciated UNICEF for the initiative, and for choosing the University Of Cross River State as the right institution to lunch the initiative, and appealed for the corporation from his students.

“At the emergence of COVID-19 last year, this university spent a lot of money. But the significance was not there because COVID-19 is tricky. The amount of money you spend in curbing COVID-19 does not guarantee social distancing, hand sanitising and nose masking, you will still turn around to enforce the application of these rules due to the human factor.

“It is difficult to space the beds, the seats at lecture halls and to control students when they come together. But UNICEF took it upon itself to do this. And we are partnering With them and they ate here to sensitize our students.

“We expect that we begin to develop new behaviours because of Covid-19. Please give them the maximum corporation, because it is for your health. If you lose your health you gain, nothing but if you get good health you gain something because health is wealth. UNICROSS does not have the capacity to handle such deadly diseases, I thank the UNICROSS coordinator, the UNICEF, WHO and partners, it is obvious you have done a very good job”, the Vice-Chancellor added.

Responding to question from journalists, the UNICEF Director of Communication Development, Dr Rufus Osorji, said close to five million people had been vaccinated across Nigeria as of last week.

“The event today is part of Our initiative to support the Nigerian government to improve COVID-19 Vaccination intake, because, during phase one, we targeted older people, but now we are focusing on all above 18 years old.

“The programme is a national programme. We will go round all the tertiary institutions; we wrote to them but Cross River responded first that is why we are starting here, we are launching the program, we will go round Nigeria. The turn up is very. Impressive. The support of the University management too is very good and imperative.

“Our objective is to mobilise young people to come out and get vaccinated, dispel rumours about COVID-19, and to reach out to their peers to become vaccinated and also to make them change agents.

“As of last week, we had close about five million people vaccinated across Nigeria. At UNICEF we are very excited to come and facilitate this initiative, we want you to own it. No one will hold you or force you, we will only make you to see reasons why you should be vaccinated.

“Please we want you to take this initiative very seriously because it is an investment by your school, WHO, UNICEF and partners, thank you.” Dr Rufus pleaded.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Buhari Urges MTN For Quality Service, Downward Price Review In Cost Of Data, Other Services

President Muhammadu Buhari Friday at State House Abuja urged the MTN Group to make the available top-of-the-range service to its Nigerian subscribers…  208,000 vaccinated in Cross River, 5 million across Nigeria  208,000 vaccinated in Cross River, 5 million across Nigeria 208,000 vaccinated in Cross River, 5 million across Nigeria  208,000 vaccinated in Cross River, 5 million across Nigeria.