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Why We Directed States To Stop COVID-19 Vaccination ― FG

The Federal Government (FG) has disclosed the reason behind the directive given to all states administering the COVID-19 vaccine to stop the exercise the moment they used half of the doses allocated to them.
The FG explained that the directive became necessary since the country was not sure when next the second batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine would arrive the country.

The Federal Government (FG) has disclosed the reason behind the directive given to all states administering the COVID-19 vaccine to stop the exercise the moment they used half of the doses allocated to them.

The Minister of State for Health, Sen. Olorunnimbe Mamora, made the disclosure at Tuesday’s media briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, in Abuja.

The minister explained that the directive became necessary since the country was not sure when next the second batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine would arrive the country.

Mamora added that it was also to enable those who had received their first jab to be able to complete their vaccination.

“We believe that in a situation where we still cannot specifically determine when the next batch of AstraZeneca vaccine will arrive, then I think wisdom dictates that it’s better for us to vaccinate people fully.

“And so, we can say that we have a pool of citizens that have been fully vaccinated since this vaccination comes in two doses.

“So that’s what gave rise to that directive, rather than just going ahead with just single dose when the full dose should be two doses of the same.

“So we felt that it was proper for us in the circumstance to ensure that those who have been vaccinated have been fully vaccinated,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, assured that the agency was investigating the reported blood clotting in some individuals that had taken the first jab of AstraZeneca vaccine.