The Federal Government has announced that the country will commence inoculation of the second batch of COVID-19 Moderna vaccines donated by the United State of America, to steps up efforts to battle a third wave of infections on Aug 10, 2021.
According to a statement by the Director Press, Office of the Secretary General Federation, Willie Bassey, “The flag off of the second batch of Moderna vaccines in Abuja. As you may be aware, the PSC has received over 4 million doses of Moderna vaccine donated by the US government to Nigeria.
In view of the above, the flag off is scheduled as follows: Tuesday, Aug 10, 2021. At the Federal Medical Center, Jabi, Off Airport Road, Abuja”.
The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria had on August 2nd donated four million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine as part of the United States’ global efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
US Chargé d’Affaires, Kathleen FitzGibbon delivered the shipment to Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 Boss Mustapha, Dr. Faisal Shuaib and members of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19.
The donated vaccines are part of the U.S. pledge to initially provide at least 25 million of the 80 million doses globally to Africa.
The donation was part of President Joe Biden’s promise to give 500 million vaccines to the world by the end of 2022.
The delivery was the second batch of vaccines to arrive in Nigeria after four million doses were delivered in March under the COVAX vaccine sharing Facility.
COVAX was set up to ensure the equitable distribution of vaccines, particularly to low-income countries, and has already delivered more than 80 million doses to 129 territories.
Nigeria has since exhausted the four million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to kick off its nationwide inoculation programme.
The Moderna vaccine received is mRNA type of vaccine manufactured and developed by Moderna, NIAID. Two shots of the vaccine are administered through intramuscular injection, 28 days apart.
The Moderna vaccine has been listed for emergency use by the World Health Organisation, WHO, and approved by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, as safe and effective based on data from large-scale clinical trials.
The federal government had announced plans to vaccinate 109 million people against the COVID-19 virus over a period of two years.
It said that only eligible population from 18 years and above will be vaccinated.
To achieve this, “the vaccine roll-out will be in four phases, starting with health workers, frontline workers, COVID-19 rapid response team, laboratory network, policemen, petrol station workers and strategic leaders.
“Phase 2 – Older adults aged 50 years and above. Those with co-morbidities aged 18 – 49 years of age.
“Phase 3 – Those in states/LGAs with high disease burden and who missed phases 1 and 2.
“Phase 4 – Other eligible population as vaccines become available,” it stated.