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March 13, 2021

COVID-19: AstraZeneca vaccine is safe — NMA

Uganda will import five million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines next month after the discovery of new COVID-19 variants in the country, President Yoweri Museveni has said. In a televised address to the nation late Friday, Museveni said the vaccines will be used to vaccinate at least 80 per cent of the 5.5 million elderly. People below 50 years, with underlying medical conditions that are at high risk of contracting the novel coronavirus, will also be vaccinated. Uganda targets to vaccinate more than 21.9 million people who face the highest risk of the infection, including the health workers, teachers, social workers and security personnel, elderly and those with underlying medical conditions. “The government is working hard to ensure we bring another five million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine before the end of May to complete the threshold vaccination and ensure that those vaccinated before getting the second booster dose,’’ said Museveni. “Vaccines are the most effective intervention we have against COVID-19. “The government and partners are working hard to bring vaccines to most adult Ugandans to protect them and to support us to reopen the economy and get back all our children to school.’’ Henry Mwebesa, Director-General of Health Services, last week said Uganda is scheduled to receive some two million more doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines in May through the COVAX facility. Uganda has so far received 964,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines from the COVAX vaccine sharing programme and the Indian government. As of April 16, a total of 220,893 people had been inoculated with the first jab of AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19, according to the Ministry of Health statistics. The country has reported the emergence of the highly transmissible COVID-19 variants which were first reported in Britain, South Africa and Nigeria. The ministry’s data showed that as of April 16, Uganda had registered a cumulative total of 41,340 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 40,898 recoveries and 338 deaths.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), says the vaccine procured by Nigeria from AstraZeneca company is safe, advising people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Prof. Baba Issa, Kwara NMA Chairman, gave the advise while speaking with newsmen in Ilorin on Saturday, in response to a question raised about the safety of Oxford, AstraZeneca vaccine.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 10 European countries had suspended the vaccine’s use, following claims of a blood clots associated with its usage.

“It depends on the vaccine that they are taking, but the one we have in Nigeria made by AstraZeneca company is known to be safe and efficacious.

“That is why Nigeria has keyed into it and the Kwara Government has taken delivery of some doses of this vaccine.

READ ALSO: AstraZeneca on back foot again over vaccine safety fears

“So I’ll advise people to take it, it is safe and it is very effective,” Issa said.

The NMA Chairman pointed out that when many people get vaccinated and become immune to the disease, Nigerians will develop herd-immunity.

“Herd immunity is resistance to the spread of an infectious disease within a population that is based on pre-existing immunity of a high proportion of individuals as a result of previous infection or vaccination,” he said.

Issa also advised that those vaccinated against the disease must continue to observe all COVID-19 protocols, such as physical distancing, wearing of facemasks and washing of hands.

He added that though the number of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in Kwara was not enough, more was being expected, adding that the target was to vaccinate as many people as possible.

He, however, explained that the current batch of COVID-19 vaccine was expected to cover healthcare workers and front-line workers in the country.

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Prof. Tanimola Akande, former President of the Association of Public Health Physician of Nigeria (APHPN) said the vaccine was safe while confirming that he had already been vaccinated.

He said he felt no pain after taking the vaccination urge, people, to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Also, Mr Mustapha Katibi, the state representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), attested to the safety of the vaccine, saying that it was safe and effective.

Vanguard News Nigeria

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