Nigerian govt announces Aug 16 as new date for second phase of COVID-19 vaccination

In order to ensure an effective vaccination campaign, the Federal Government has announced Aug. 16 as the new date of commencement of administration of the second batch of COVID-19 Moderna vaccines doses donated by the U.S.

Lai Mohammed made this disclosure on Monday when he featured on “Good Morning Nigeria’’ a live programme of the Nigerian Television Authority.

The minister said the postponement of the vaccination exercise from Aug. 10 to Aug. 16 was “purely administrative’’.

“We have received 4,80,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine and we will commence administering the doses on Monday, Aug. 16.

“The exercise was supposed to commence tomorrow Aug. 10, but we suspended it till Monday, and the reason is purely administrative.

“You see, when vaccines arrive the country, they are taken to National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)

“The agency which will analyse them and thereafter give us a green light for the use,’’ he said.

He further allayed fears that the campaign was postponed indefinitely over concerns raised by some experts on the propriety of using Moderna vaccines.

“I want to thank Nigerians for the way they responded to the first batch of Astrazeneca Vaccine.

READ ALSO: Nigerian govt postpones phase two of COVID-19 vaccination

“I can say authoritatively that we succeeded administering the four million doses of the vaccine and we do not have a single expired vaccine.

“They were all administered to the targeted population.

“I want to encourage Nigerians to come out also to take the Moderna vaccine.”

Mohammed underscored the need for people to come out to take the vaccine stressing that “Nigeria has entered the third wave of COVID-19’’.

He explained that the Delta variant of the COVID-19 pandemic which is more virulent and deadly had been recorded in some states since July.

“If you have our two doses, it is clear that even if you are infected with COVID-19, it will be very mild.

“You will not be hospitalised, talk less of death as opposed to the fellow that has not taken the vaccine.

“So, we must encourage people to go out and take the vaccine,’’ he said.

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