COVID-19: Nasarawa Governor, Deputy Take Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine
Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, alongside his deputy, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, has publicly taken the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, flagging-off the vaccination exercise in the state.
Governor Sule and his deputy received the vaccination at a ceremony at the Government House, Lafia.
Addressing the press shortly after taking the vaccination, the governor urged all Nasarawa indigenes and Nigerians in general to take the vaccine.
Governor Sule used the opportunity to thank the Federal Government, as well as the Nigerian Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC), for their concerted efforts, towards seeing that the first batch of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine arrive Nigeria and Nasarawa State in particular.
"We also wish to thank the President and the NCDC, the Minister of Finance and the Executive Chairman of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaibu, who played a key role in ensuring that we receive these vaccines," the governor said.
The governor equally thanked the state Commissioner for Health, Pharmacist Ahmed Baba Yahaya, and other officials of the ministry for working hard to see that Nasarawa receives it share of the vaccines.
Governor Sule however cautioned that taking the first dose of the vaccine may not confer immunity against COVID-19, urging those who will take the vaccines to continue to use their face masks, pending the administration of the second dose.
Earlier, Nasarawa State Deputy Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, disclosed that the state has so far received 61 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines.
Dr. Akabe, who doubles at the chairman of the state taskforce on COVID-19, further disclosed that he undertook an inspection of the state cold room, stressing that the facility is in good condition to store the vaccines.
The Deputy Governor assured that the vaccine is safe for use.