Nigeria begins COVID-19 vaccinations

Nigeria has commenced its COVID-19 vaccination with a commencement ceremony and vaccination of health workers at the National hospital Abuja.

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, flagged off the exercise on behalf of President Buhari.

“Nobody is safe until everyone is vaccinated. we must believe our government on the safety and efficacy of the vaccines”  the SGF said in his speech.

Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, described the moment as a “watershed”

The minister of health, Dr Osagie Ehanire explained that about 150 health workers will be vaccinated today.

According to him, the vaccines are more than enough to go around. He also noted that persons under 18 years and pregnant women are not eligible for the vaccines.

A medical doctor, Dr. Cyprian Nyong, of the National Hospital, Abuja, was the first to receive the jab of the AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccines.

Nigeria had on Tuesday received about four million doses of AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine shipped into the country through the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport.

President Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo will, on Saturday, receive shots of the vaccines.