EU confirms Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is safe
…as Lagos vaccinates 12,720 people in 48 hours
By Ayo Fadimu
The European Union’s drugs regulator said on Thursday that the controversial AstraZeneca vaccine is “safe and effective” and it is not linked to an increased risk of blood clots.
“The committee has come to a clear scientific conclusion: this is a safe and effective vaccine,” European Medicines Agency chief Emer Cooke told a press conference after a probe by the body’s safety committee.
“The committee also concluded that the vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of thromboembolic events or blood clots.”
In a related development, the Lagos State Government says it has vaccinated 12,720 people with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine 48 hours after the vaccination exercise commenced in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, made this known through his verified Twitter account @ProfAkinAbayomi, on Thursday while giving the state’s COVID-19 Vaccination update for March 16.
He said that from the 12, 720 people vaccinated, 6,535 were males, while 6,185 females.
The state government started its COVID-19 vaccination exercise on March 15 in 88 health facilities, including military and police hospitals, which have been selected to provide vaccination across the 20 local government areas.
It officially flagged off the roll-out, distribution and administration of the COVID-19 Vaccine on March 12 at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), Yaba.
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, the state Commissioner for Health, some frontline healthcare workers, among other frontline workers, were vaccinated on March 12.
The state vaccinated 268 people on March 12 at three centres as part of the activities of the vaccine roll-out, while 4,954 were vaccinated on March 15 across the 88 designated vaccine sites across the state.
On the breakdown of the category of people vaccinated on March 16, Abayomi said that healthcare workers, other frontline workers and strategic leaders in the state were vaccinated.
According to him, the total number of people vaccinated on the reported date were 7,498, with sex distribution being 3,770 males and 3, 728 females.
“Number of male healthcare workers vaccinated were 1,510 and female healthcare workers were 1, 932, making a total of 3,442.
“Other frontline workers vaccinated were 2,116 males and 1,680 females, totalling 3,796,” he said.
The commissioner said that 260 strategic leaders in the state were inoculated, comprising 144 men and 116 women.
Earlier, Abayomi said that vaccination could only be obtained at any of the 88 accredited facilities listed.
“Vaccination outside of these locations in Lagos State is highly prohibited, and will attract heavy sanctions through our regulatory agencies,” the commissioner warned.
He assured residents that there was no cause for anxiety concerning getting vaccinated.
“I encourage Lagos residents to be readily available for vaccination, just as Mr Governor @jidesanwoolu, frontline workers and I have been vaccinated.
“It is our personal and collective responsibility to be vaccinated to prevent severity of third and fourth waves of COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
