Following the discovery of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in Nigeria, the Federal Government evaluated the country’s immunization program and decided to roll out the booster dosage using the Pfizer Bio-N-Tech vaccine throughout the country.
This will go into effect tomorrow, Friday, December 10th, 2021.
Dr. Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) said Nigerian COVID-19 immunization campaign is science-driven.
He made this known at the flag off of the mass vaccination campaign. This is being done to fast-track the coverage of all eligible persons. Our special attention on the IDP Camps underscores the government’s recognition of the vulnerable conditions of our friends and families who are temporarily here.
The said, “Evidence has shown that the booster dose further increases protection against the virus. 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 ensure that our vaccination teams will be available on site here and in other camps daily until every eligible person has received their vaccines. I therefore urge camp leaders to take responsibility and ensure all members are fully vaccinated. Please do not hesitate to demand for the vaccines if the teams stop coming and there are still unvaccinated persons in the camp. It is your right to get vaccinated.
“At this juncture, may I emphasize that taking the COVID-19 vaccine is not just an act of self-protection but also a civic duty to curtail the spread of the virus in the camp and in Nigeria. Every one of us has a critical role to play in mobilizing our friends, families, and camp mates to the vaccination site. Remember, no one is safe from COVID-19 until everyone is safe.
“Even after vaccination let us continue to wear our face masks, wash our hands frequently, observe physical distancing and avoid large gatherings until Nigeria achieves full vaccination of all its eligible population”, he said .
He continued, , “Today, 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 that none of these persons has died as a result of receiving COVID-19 vaccine. Our record of successful vaccine roll out 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. And 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.
And 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.
Also, the Federal Commissioner, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim,
lamented that the COVID-19 pandemic has profound effect on nearly every aspect of our lives, it has stalled world economies, altered the way we work and communicate with our loved ones, and strained healthcare systems to their breaking point.
He stated that, the pandemic has increased the number of refugees and IDPs by over a million, “According to the UNHCR, current statistics reveal that between 2020 till date, there has been a sharp increase in the number of displacements by about a million, bringing the total number of internal displaced persons to about 3 million residing in camps and host communities across the country. There are also about 73,000 registered refugees from over 23 countries residing in Nigeria. These statistics signifies a 1.7% value of the nation’s population yet to be vaccinated.
“These Persons of Concern have had their livelihoods eroded by both man-made and natural disasters such as protracted fighting, insecurity, communal clashes, and the consequences of climate change, leaving them more vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic’s larger impact. The majority of them lack access to an adequate health care system and are stigmatized as a result of their situation. This is why the Commission is collaborating with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to ensure that COVID Vaccines reach these vulnerable Persons of Concern”.
He said for nations to be able to return back to nomancy, then getting Covid-19 vaccination is imperative, “Vaccines will undoubtedly enable society to revert to ‘normalcy’ and restrictions continue to ease. To this end, I want to encourage our Persons of Concern who are 18 years and above to take full advantage of this initiative and get vaccinated, because according to experts, by getting vaccinated, you break the chain of disease transmission, you reduce mutations and Variants of the virus, you protect others, and even if you become ill, the severity of sickness is usually mild and does not require hospitalization”.
