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COVID-19 Vaccine: Health Workers, Strategic Leaders, Elderly To Get Jabs First

Published

4 years ago

Mar 1, 2021.

Yinka Akanbi

This is coming less than 24 hours before the arrival of the vaccine.

The Federal Government has said that the expected COVID-19 vaccines would be administered in the order of priority.

Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora, disclosed this on Monday while highlighting the preparedness of the government to take delivery of the vaccines.

He noted that the frontline health workers would be the first set of people to get the vaccine.

“The first will be the frontline health workers because they are facing the battle heavily. They will come first then, secondly, we will look at the elderly – those above 60, 65 years and particularly with comorbidities (people who have existing health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease – they will also be in that group.

“We will also be looking and the strategic leadership of the country, and then we would be looking at some other people like those at the point of entry, border post managers, and things like that; This will be the order in terms of priority for now,” the minister stated on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

He explained that those referred to as strategic leaders comprise President Muhammadu Buhari, state governors, and other key public office holders in the country.

Defending the decision to include the President and others among the first set of people to be vaccinated, Mamora said, “Even in a war situation, you will want to protect as much as possible the strategic leaders of the country. Of course, Mr President, the governors… that’s what we refer to as strategic leadership.”

Asked if the vaccine would be administered to the President and others publicly, he answered affirmatively.

“Why not? Because we want to let the people know that this vaccine is safe, that is why we will do it in the open because we need to generate that confidence and build trust in the people.

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