The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) has disclosed that it will begin administering a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine on Friday to counter the spread of the new Omicron variant in Nigeria.
The Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib said this at the flag-off of COVID-19 Mass Vaccination of Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced on Thursday in Abuja.
Shuaib said: “Following the detection of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Nigeria, the Federal Government reviewed the country’s vaccination programme and resolved to introduce the booster dose using the Pfizer Bio-N-Tech vaccine across the country as this will take effect as from tomorrow, Friday the 10th of December 2021.”
Shuaib further reiterated that the Nigerian COVID-19 vaccination programme is science-driven adding that evidence has shown that the booster dose further increases protection against the virus.
According to Shuaib: “Eligibility for the booster dose includes being 18 years and above, fully vaccinated with either two doses of AstraZeneca, Moderna or Pfizer Bio-N-Tech or a single dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine”.
“The time interval before the booster dose is at least six months for these vaccines, except the Johnson and Johnson which is at least two months.
“This is another opportunity to be further protected. I, therefore, urge all those who have taken the right decision to be fully vaccinated, to walk into the nearest vaccination site for their booster dose as from tomorrow.
“I want to reassure everyone that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and efficacious. We have in place the required measures and precautions to ensure vaccine monitoring and accountability.
“We are committed to ensuring that our vaccination teams will be available on-site here and in other camps daily until every eligible person has received their vaccines.”
Shuaib further disclosed that as of Thursday, December 9th 2021, 7,361,810 Nigerians have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and this represents 6.6% of the eligible population. 3,846,762 eligible Nigerians have received their second doses and are fully vaccinated against the virus representing 3.4% of the eligible population.
“As you are aware, since the detection of the first case of COVID-19 infection in Nigeria about two years ago, the Federal Government has taken decisive steps to control the spread of the virus in the Country.
“Despite the challenges of large-scale misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, Nigeria has successfully vaccinated over seven million eligible persons, and I am glad to inform you that none of these persons has died as a result of receiving COVID-19 vaccine.
“Our record of successful vaccine rollout has been based on the consistent support from President Muhammadu Buhari and the guidance of the Chairman of Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha, and the Honorable Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire.
“While we remain grateful to God Almighty for using these leaders to intervene for our dear country, it is important to mention that the decision of over 7 million Nigerians to take the COVID-19 vaccine has been based on their rightful conviction that the vaccines are safe and effective in protecting them against the disease.
“We appreciate the courage, resilience and patriotism that Nigerians have continued to demonstrate in accepting to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
“As time has come to prove that we were not wrong to have accepted the polio vaccine, time will come to prove that we are not wrong to accept the COVID-19 vaccine.
“The Federal Government under the able leadership of our dear President Muhammadu Buhari is determined to ensure that every eligible Nigeria and indeed any persons in Nigeria has access to the COVID-19 vaccines.
“It is in furtherance of this determination that we introduced the COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Campaign to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines by everyone.
“Our presence here today, to flag-off the vaccination of our brothers and sisters in these camps across the country is also in fulfilment of that determination. Everyone, no matter where they are in the country MUST have access to the COVID-19 vaccines.
“As a result of our commitment to all Nigerians, COVID-19 vaccines are now accessible in all public, primary, secondary, and tertiary health facilities, private health facilities, worship centres, schools, markets, motor parks, shopping malls, etc, in order to fast track social and economic recovery from COVID-19. Suffice to say, we have sufficient doses of COVID-19 vaccines for this mass vaccination campaign,” he added.
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