Covid-19 vaccines’ll be available by 2021 —Minister

The Federal Government has said coronavirus vaccines would be available for use by 2021.

Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health, made the revelation on Thursday while speaking during the briefing of Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

He said, “Vaccines will not be available until next year at best. No reliable therapeutics has been confirmed but our country must restart businesses, including travel to allow citizens to earn their livelihood.

“Compliance with all the recommended measures like wearing your masks, social distancing, avoiding gatherings etc will go a long way to help.

The Minister also appealed to JOHESU to shelve their strike.

Read also: Nigeria receives samples of covid-19 vaccines from Russia

“I also use this opportunity to renew my calls to members of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) to put the plight, safety and well-being of their patients into consideration and to call off the ongoing strike while the differences are being addressed by negotiations.

“It is important to remind ourselves that COVID-19 is real and spreading gradually in some parts of the world as we speak.

“It is risky to believe that it is going away even though it looks as if the figures are reducing here. Some countries are experiencing the so-called second waves with all the complications that go along with this easily spreading disease.”

The Nigerian government on September 4, received samples of the COVID-19 vaccine from Russia through its ambassador, Alexey Shebarshin.

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