Frontline health workers and critical leaders, who took the first jab of the COVID-19 vaccines, have started receiving the second doses in Cross River State, south-south Nigeria.
The Cross River Commissioner for Health, Dr. Betta Edu flagged off the second round of the exercise at one of the Primary Healthcare Centres in Calabar, the capital city.
Dr. Edu, in a brief remark, said that Cross River performed well in the first round of COVID-19 vaccination and reminded the public of the need to constantly use the nose mask.
She noted that Nigeria and other countries in Africa and the world were not out of the woods due to new strains of the coronavirus with high mortality rate.
Edu said, “as we commence this second phase of vaccinations, I want to urge all of us to continue to protect ourselves. Coronavirus pandemic is still on. In fact, the emerging new strains are more deadly and infection rate is faster that the initial one.
“So, I am really pleading with everyone to abide by the hygiene protocols we preach daily. Use your nose mask everyday and properly; constant washing of hands is still very essential. Avoid crowded places and take practical steps to protect yourselves and family including your neighbours by maintaining social distance,” stated Edu.
The Commissioner stressed that vaccination remained the most effective means of reducing COVID-19 related deaths and urged all those, who got the first jab of the Astrazeneca vaccines to avail themselves for the second dose.
She stated, “the state government is committed to meet the estimated target population during the vaccination exercise. We are going to every community where our health workers are. You know Cross River has been on the forefront since the heat of this pandemic. All the preventive measures we adopted like the compulsory use of mask resulted in the state recording one of the least cases in the country.”
