The Federal Government has received additional 1,233,200 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines for vaccination, especially in the hard to reach areas across the country.
Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) who disclosed this in Abuja said the latest shipments were received late last Saturday through the AVATT platform, coordinated by the African Union Commission.
He added that the doses are part of the 39,800,000 doses procured by the government.
Shuaib also informed that the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has already taken samples for analysis and are currently scanning the codes to ensure proper serialization of the vaccine.
Shuaib further informed that a total of 3,600,858 eligible Nigerians had received their 1st dose of COVID-19 vaccine as at 7th September 2021.
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He said of this number 2,551,738 persons were vaccinated with AstraZeneca vaccine and 1,049,120 persons were vaccinated with Moderna vaccine.
Shuaib said there had been questions raised about a few vaccinated individuals where COVID-19 infection occurred in those who had received the vaccination more than 14 days prior called breakthrough infection.
He said: “The observation is that in these individuals, the disease is usually milder than those who were unvaccinated. Vaccination prevents one from severe disease, hospitalization and death. If our communities continue to remain unvaccinated, we will keep endangering our citizens most especially those who are vulnerable, elderly or immunocompromised.
Shuaib also said a special vaccination exercise that will enable members of staff and retirees of public and private sector firms to be vaccinated in their office premises have been introduced
According to him, the platform was created in pursuant of the government’s mandate of making vaccination compulsory for all civil servants, as well as in recognition of the fact that some workers may find it difficult to leave their duty post to vaccination sites.
