Nigerian govt warns against use of uncertified COVID-19 vaccine as sellers hawk one in Kano

The Federal Government Tuesday warned Nigerians against patronising uncertified COVID-19 vaccines being hawked in Kano State.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the warning at a media briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

He said: “By the way, you must know that the vaccine being hawked in Kano which is called COVID-19 vaccine is yellow in colour.

“It is not certified by anybody, please do not patronise the hawkers.”

Mohammed said a respected opinion poll, the NOI Polls, had shown that 99 percent of Nigerians were aware of COVID-19.

He disclosed that the ministry and its agencies had ramped up their public enlightenment and advocacy campaign in a bid to reach Nigerians with information on how they could protect themselves and avoid contracting the disease.

Mohammed added: “This is necessary because, in the absence of vaccine or drugs, Non- Pharmaceutical Intervention (NPI) remains the most effective way to contain the spread of the disease and protect Nigerians.

“The campaign has, therefore, continued to focus on the need for the populace to adhere strictly to social distancing and mass gathering restrictions, wearing of face mask and ensure good personal hygiene.

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“The ministry has now rolled out a new set of TVCs and radio jingles focusing on the NPI interventions.

“The TVCs and the jingles, in English, Pidgin, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba, have started playing on the NTA and the FRCN.”

He said the ministry was in the process of rolling them out on state and private radio and television stations across the country.

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