COVID- 19: 25 Million People In Nigeria Vaccinated, With Nasarawa State On The Lead

From Emmanuel Iyoho

ABUJA

Nearly 25 million people in Nigeria have taken the Oxford/AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer, as well as Johnson and Johnson brands of the COVID-19 vaccine as of Friday February 18, 2022, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) has said.

According to NPHCDA, this includes those who have taken just the first, second, as well as booster shots of these vaccines.

The agency in its latest update on the vaccination exercise in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) indicates that Nasarawa performed best having administered vaccines to over 70 percent of the targeted population. 

The report said, while 73 per cent of the targeted population in the state has taken the first jab, 33 percent has received the second dose.

Data from the NPHCDA revealed that Nasarawa was followed by Jigawa – (67 per cent) and (17 per cent), as well as Ogun – (26 per cent) (13 per cent), in terms of first and second jabs respectively.

The FCT (26 percent) and (15 percent), as well as Kwara (24 percent) and (11 per cent), completed the list of the top five performing states.

The over five states that made the top 10 performing states are Osun (22 percent) and (nine percent, Kano (21 percent) and (eight percent), Oyo (20 percent) and (nine percent), Lagos (19 percent) and (12 percent), as well as Zamfara (18 percent) and (six percent).

It explained that more than 60 percent of the millions of doses administered so far was carried out through the mass vaccination campaign of November 2021 till date.

In taking the jabs, the NPHCDA warned Nigerians against taking different brands of vaccines for a second dose, except in the case of a booster shot where Pfizer was recommended for those who had been administered Oxford/AstraZeneca.

“The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) does not recommend mix and match of different COVID-19 vaccine brands,” it said. “The Agency ensures a steady supply of the different brands of vaccines to the states.

“Please ensure you take the same brand of the vaccine for your first and second doses. However, for the booster dose, if you took Oxford/AstraZeneca brand for first and second doses, you are required to take Pfizer for your booster,” the agency warned.

According to the New York Time vaccine tracker, as of February 18, 2022, more than 4.89 billion people worldwide have received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, equal to about 63.7 per cent of the world population.