Out of the 132, 000 persons who were vaccinated during the first phase of the exercise in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, 42,000 people have gotten their second doses of COVID-19 immunization (FCT).
Dr. Mohammed Kawu, the Acting Executive Secretary of the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS), who made the announcement yesterday and lamented the low turnout of eligible people, said the administration still has until the middle of July to complete the second dosage immunization.
Kawu, addressing at a press conference in Abuja to mark the 2021 World Health Day, said that FCTA has resumed first-dose vaccination with available vaccines, following assurances from the National Primary Healthcare that the country would get roughly 3.9 million doses by July.
He went on to say that while the vaccination campaign is ongoing and vaccines are available, the issue is getting individuals, particularly those who have not yet received their initial vaccinations, to seek them out.
He added that even after two vaccinations, he still wears facemasks and follows the COVID-19 regimen because his vaccine prevents one from coming into contact with the virus, but the vaccine produces immunity in vaccinater peoples’ body.
According to him: “As at yesterday (June 16), about 42,000 people got the second dose. And we still have up to the middle of July to finish the second dose vaccination. So, we are appealing to all those who have gotten their first dose to come out and take their second dose.
“So, the greatest challenge is that people are not coming out to take the vaccine. Because, every big Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) across the six Area Councils is a vaccination site. And the immunization units of all our general hospitals are vaccination sites; and there is also mobile vaccination team that moves around places including markets.
“We are monitoring and ensuring that every of these places, the vaccinators are there everyday. There is no cost attached to it, so people that are willing to take, should have easy access to the vaccines as they are 100% free”.
He continued: “Even if you have taken the vaccine, unless is the society develop hard immunity (where majority of people have immunity against the virus), so the virus will not have the power to start spreading in the society.
“Until we get to that level, we will continue to protect ourselves.
For those that don’t have the immune yet, because they have not been vaccinated, if the virus their body, they cannot effectively fight the disease, and therefore they will come down with the disease”.
