The Lagos State Government said on Sunday it will resume the administration of the second dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Monday.
Director, Public Affairs in the Ministry of Health Mr. Tunbosun Ogunbanwo stated this in a statement in Lagos.
This came as Enugu State government commenced the second phase of the administration of Moderna and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines on residents.
But, Ogunbanwo said administration of the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine would hold across the 88 vaccination sites used during the first phase of the vaccination exercise.
According to him, the vaccination will be for 20 days, from today till September 24.
He said only persons who had received the first jab of the vaccine during the first phase of the AstraZeneca vaccination excercise in the state were eligible for the exercise.
The director advised eligible persons to present their vaccination cards between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the vaccination sites to get vaccinated.
He warned against mixing one brand of vaccine with another brand, saying it was not allowed.
Ogunbanwo noted that the AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines are safe and effective against severe illness and death from COVID-19 variants, including the Delta variant.
He advised residents to get all recommended vaccine doses to enhance protection against the virus.
The vaccination ceremony in Enugu State, which took place at the ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane, the state capital, was performed on behalf of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi by his deputy, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo.
Mrs. Ezeilo, who conveyed the governor’s message, enjoined the people to get vaccinated and also observe the non-pharmaceutical methods of preventing the spread of the virus.
She urged the people to wear facemask, regularly wash their hands with soap and under running water as well as observe social distancing protocol, among others.
Executive Secretary, Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA) Dr. George Ugwu said the state government achieved 100 per cent coverage in the first phase of the AstraZeneca vaccination.
Ugwu said the state government has received 60,060 doses of Moderna vaccines to take care of those, who did not receive COVID-19 vaccination in the first phase.
The Executive Secretary added that 13,416 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines were also received by the state government to complete the second dose for citizens, who previously got only the first dose, during the first phase of the exercise.
According to him, Ugwuanyi’s administration has trained 1,200 health workers, who will ensure effective coverage of the second phase of the vaccination in all the designated Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and General Hospitals across the 17 local government areas of the state.
The ENS-PHCDA boss, who added that some mobile health teams will visit churches and markets to ensure that every citizen is reached, maintained that the 17 LGAs have effective cold chain mechanisms that preserve the vaccines to sustain their efficacy.
