COVID-19 Vaccine: Lagos commences administering second dose

The Lagos State Government says it has commenced the administration of the second dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Akin Abayomi, State Commissioner for Health, in a statement on Sunday, said the administration of the second dose of the vaccine which began on May 28 would end on July 9.

He said the programme was in continuation of Phase 1 COVID-19 vaccination that started on March 12.

Mr Abayomi said 317,916 people were vaccinated with the first dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

“This means that 1.32 per cent of the state’s population has received the first dose,” he said.

The commissioner noted that the state needed to vaccinate 14 million people, which is 60 per cent of its population, to reach its target of achieving herd immunity.

He said the state was considering several channels, including discussions with the federal government and the private sector, to ramp up its vaccination numbers.

According to him, for anyone to be fully vaccinated, two doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine are required, with an interval of six to 12 weeks.

He said the second dose would be administered on working days across the 88 approved health facilities in the state.

“I, therefore, implore citizens who have received their first dose to proceed to the health facilities where they got their first dose on their scheduled appointment dates, which are clearly stated on the vaccination card that was issued.

“They are also advised to avoid overcrowding and overwhelming the health workers by staggering their arrival at the vaccination site from between 8 a.m to 1 p.m.

“I will like to reiterate that every vaccinated person should visit the health facility where they got their first dose with their vaccination cards, so that the process is seamless, and their data accurately captured.

“We would like to remind all persons who visit the health facilities to continue to adhere to the infection prevention and control measures to mitigate the spread of the virus,” he said.

He advised residents to continue to wear face masks in public, avoid large crowds and practise good hand and respiratory hygiene until about 60 per cent of the state’s population is vaccinated.