COVID-19 vaccine: FG wary of disinformation targeted at discouraging public

Federal Government has said its attention has been drawn to disinformation leading to a certain level of conspiracy that is targeted at discouraging members of the public seeking vaccination against COVID-19.

The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency(NPHCDA) Dr Faisal Shuaib while briefing the media on the weekly COVID-19 vaccine update on Tuesday in Abuja said witnessing an increasing wave of COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation that should leave any patriotic Nigerian wondering how long mischief-makers want the world to remain in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic itself.

Shuaib emphasized that the creativity with which some people misinform others and spread misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccination calls for more deliberate, decisive, and consistent steps to counter as well as provide correct and accurate information that will help more people to make informed decisions to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

“It is unfortunate that the right of the public to true and accurate information on matters of collective concern is being threatened by just a few others who are taking advantage of the social media to mislead people about their health.”

“This breach of the public right to true and accurate information about COVID-19 vaccination is a challenge to the media, which should be taken seriously.”

“It is evident that Nigeria has made significant progress towards utilizing the 4 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine we got from COVAX facility, and that is why our vaccine rollout has been described as the best in the African sub-region.”

Shuaib refuted negative narratives carried by the anti-vaccination elements as they come up with magnetic conspiracy, in which they claim, and are deceiving people with videos, that the COVID-19 vaccine creates a magnetic field around the vaccination site and can cause the body to light up an electric bulb.

“As ridiculous as this and other conspiracy theories are, vulnerable people, believe them and are therefore continuing to take the risk of avoiding COVID-19 vaccination.”

“Although the people who are manufacturing conspiracy theories about COVID-19 are in the minority, the virulence of the social media increases their reach.”

“For this reason, it has become necessary for us to confront the false theorists if we really want Nigeria and the world to overcome COVID-19 and recover from its adversities.”

“At the onset, it was claimed that COVID-19 was introduced to justify developing vaccines that would be used to depopulate Africans.”

Those who came up with this theory said that anybody who takes the vaccine would die immediately.”

“Today, nearly 4 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in Nigeria and we have not recorded any case of death linked to the vaccination”.

“On seeing this reality, the rumour mongers changed their narratives into saying that the vaccines used in Europe and America are not the same as the ones used in Africa.”

“As evidence has come to show, it is now clear that the COVID-19 vaccines used in Europe, America and elsewhere in the World are the same used in Nigeria and other countries in Africa.

The conspiracy theorist went silent about this claim and are now saying that anyone who takes the vaccine will die after two years.

“Nigerians are predominantly a country of Muslims and Christians. We know that these religions are clear that no one knows the year of the day they will die. So why would we even pay attention to such spurious claims?” Shuaib queried.

Shuaib further disclosed that no fewer than 2,495,632 people have been vaccinated with the first dose, while 1,370,130 have received their second dose of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria.

“Overall, Nigeria has successfully utilized 3.9M doses, representing 96% of the 4,024,000 doses of the vaccines received in the country.”

“Nigeria is poised to achieve 100% utilization of the doses of vaccine it has received in the next few days. This is to ensure that people are protected against COVID-19, and normalcy is restored.”

“We must take informed steps to guard ourselves against being misled by those who are spreading misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines.”

“It is important for our media to understand that the truth, which they hold so high in principle, is at war with falsehood, and therefore every effort must be made to ensure that people are vaccinated against COVID-19 if we want the truth to be victorious.

“It is also a well-known fact that persons with wet, moist, or sticky skin can have objects stuck to their skin especially in smooth areas.”

“Strong friction also allows for objects to stick to the skin. COVID -19 vaccines do not contain any metal this is another fact! So how can it generate a magnetic field or light an electric bulb?

“I would urge everyone to please do more research on your own using credible information sources so that we do not promote ignorance in an age of civilization.”

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