Connect with us

News

One percent of Lagos residents vaccinated against covid-19 —Commissioner

Published

on

We cannot reveal name of Italian who brought Coronavirus to Nigeria —Lagos Commissioner

Prof. Akin Abayomi, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, has revealed that about 260,000 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the state.

Abayomi, who made this disclosure at a media briefing on Tuesday in Lagos, stated that the figure represented just one per cent of the state’s population.

This may come as a shock to a lot of political and health analysts, considering the vigorous campaign launched by the state imploring residents to get vaccinated.

He said the second phase of vaccination would start soon and warned that Nigeria stood the risk of experiencing a third wave, having vaccinated only less than one per cent of its population.

Read also: Lagos covid-19 bed occupancy rate drops from 60% to 8%

According to him, health facilities in Lagos State have been placed on high alert to pick up early trends that may suggest a third wave of COVID-19.

”Currently, countries like India, Brazil, Argentina, Iraq, Qatar, Peru, and Uruguay are being ravaged by a vicious third or fourth wave following a less active and insignificant second or third wave.

”The latest wave in India has been proven to be as a result of new mutant strains that have resulted in a dramatic increase in sickness and deaths for two weeks running.

”Whilst we commiserate with these countries, it is important that we protect our environment and residents against this virus, especially as we have less than one per cent of our population that have received their first dose of the Oxford Astra-Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine similar to India that has about eight per cent,” he said.

The commissioner said that Lagos was working towards ensuring a 60 per cent herd immunity, representing 14 million people to be achieved.

He said that among steps being taken to curb a third wave of the virus included aggressive testing, including mutant PCR testing to identify the particular virus strain.

”It also included the deployment of technology (EKOTELEMED) to track and monitor inbound travellers; enforcing non-pharmaceutical interventions; increase in oxygen supply and vaccination,” he noted.

By Mayowa Oladeji…

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now