Covid-19: FG guarantees AstraZeneca, Moderna efficacy against Delta variant

…To receive 176,000 doses of Johnson and Johnson on Wednesday

By Ogaga Ariemu

Federal Government has guaranteed the effectiveness and efficacy of AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines as a shield to stymie the Covid-19 Delta variant in Nigeria.

Also said the country is expected to receive 176,000 doses of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday.

The Executive Director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing journalists on the progress of COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria.

Shuaib said, “in all communications, we have been clear that the AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines are very effective against the Delta variant as cases are beginning to increase in States like Lagos and Akwa Ibom”.

Shuaib also assured Nigerians that regardless of the brand of the Covid-19 vaccines, as along as they have been approved by NAFDAC and provide adequate protection against the disease, there is no vaccines that is superior to  another.

“While we are hopeful and well prepared to roll out the 2nd Phase vaccination plan, we are by no means oblivious of the fact that there are challenges ahead, especially now that the country has started receiving different brands of COVID-19 vaccines”.

“We are aware that Nigerians would want to know if there is a preferred brand. Let me assure everyone that COVID-19 vaccines, regardless of brand, as long as they have been approved by NAFDAC, provide adequate protection against the disease”.

As you are already aware, NAFDAC took samples of the vaccines to test for their integrity, their consistency with what the global standard is, what the Nigerian standard is and to ensure that it is in line with the product information that has been provided by the US Government and Moderna. NAFDAC has come back to state that they have approve the Moderna vaccine for use.

Shuaib further disclosed that the media reports which seem to suggest that there are delay in the rollout of the vaccines due to documentations of the vaccine is not correct.

He said on the contrary the reason why the Agency had to extend or postpone the launch date of the vaccine is because the they want to institute once again in conjunction with NAFDAC the track and trace all the way to health facility where the vaccines would be administered.

“This means that we are locally creating labels for the vaccines barcode that will ensure that this tracking and tracing continues just like we did in the 1st phase”.

“Consequently, we want to call on all Nigerians to remain assured that the vaccines that we have are safe and will be deployed next week as earlier communicated. The flag off and roll out of the 2nd phase of the COVID-19 Vaccination program will be done on August 16th, 2021”.

Shuaib appealed to journalists to put the interest of Nigerians and Nigeria first as everyone have a responsibility to ensure that all those around us at home, at the office, in our places of worship, get vaccinated so that we can collectively overcome this pandemic and It does not help when incorrect information is spread by the media.

“While we appreciate your understanding and the patience of the Nigerian public, it is important to mention that the delay witnessed in the rollout of the vaccine is as a result of our continued commitment to work with our partners and other agencies to ensure that when we roll out the vaccines they are as successful as what we witnessed during the 1st phase of the vaccination rollout”.

“We are currently wrapping up the training about 40,739 health workers across the National, State and Ward level on our phase 2 strategic vaccine roll out plan with focus on improving the delivery, communication, data management, management of the vaccines and logistics that are needed”.

“A total of 3363 teams will be used. 2690 teams manning the fixed post and 673 manning temporary fixed post which will go from settlement to settlement especially around areas where people will congregate for example the houses of the traditional leaders, the markets and motor parks”.

“We want to further assure Nigerians that we have strategized with our partners so that there is no confusion on which vaccines will be given to whom”.

“For example, all those who have taken their first dose of AstraZeneca vaccines and are due for their 2nd dose would be given their 2nd dose in this month of August as we are expecting up to 588,800 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the COVAX facility”.

“This is the first batch that will be coming in the next couple of days, thereafter we will be expecting up to 3.9million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines to complement what we already have and to make sure we cover not only those who will be taking their 2nd AstraZeneca vaccine but also for those who will want to take their 1st dose of this vaccine”.

“As you are aware, we have received 4,000,080 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine donated by the government of the United States, and we will be receiving 176,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccines tomorrow Wednesday August 11th. These 176,000 doses as you are aware, are coming out of the 29,850,000 doses that the Federal Government procured from the AFREXIM Bank through the African Union”.

On his part, World Health Organisation(WHO), Country Representative, Walter Mulombo said the current data currently available in WHO Africa Region show that weekly COVID-19 deaths in Africa reached a record peak in the week to 1 August, marking the highest seven-day toll since the onset of the pandemic in the continent.

Mulombo added that Africa is still in the throes of its third wave, recording more cases than any earlier peak as he stressed thatAfrica’s third wave is not over.

“We must all double down on prevention measures to build on the fragile gains achieved in Nigeria amid the country’s low vaccination rate of less than 2% of the entire population is fully vaccinated”.

“Therefore, we must be mindful of discontinuing public health and social measures such as maintaining physical distance, avoiding crowded places and always observing hand hygiene”.

“Relaxing them too early could see us losing some of the gains that vaccines have enabled us to make”

“To boost the uptake of vaccines, government, traditional and religious institutions as well as community influencers need to scale up operations, investments on operational costs and step up sensitization efforts to address vaccine hesitancy”.

Also, as the country anticipates utilization of multiple vaccine types, it is important that we set up strategies that will ensure doses are efficiently administered”.

“Rollout plans will aim for a high uptake in priority population groups and provide equitable access to achieve significant vaccination coverage”.