The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has confirmed that Nigeria is now scheduled to commence the second phase of its COVID-19 vaccination programme on Monday, August 16.
The new date was announced by the Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib.
The federal government had earlier scheduled the exercise for Tuesday, August 10, but it was postponed due to “unforeseen circumstances,” according to a spokesperson in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey.
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Dr Shuaib today clarified that the postponement of the second phase of COVID-19 vaccination was necessary for preparations to be finalised.
“The start date for the vaccination has been postponed to next week Monday,” he said.
“This is to enable NAFDAC to finish its assessment and preparatory processes,” he added.
The second batch of the vaccination programme is coming after the United States donated over four million doses of the Moderna vaccine to the country.
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As the country faces a fresh threat of COVID-19 with an uptick in new cases of signified a third with only about one per cent of the population fully vaccinated, so far.
On Sunday, Nigeria recorded 471 fresh cases of the novel coronavirus as resident doctors across the country continue to strike over unpaid benefits.
The new cases reported on Sunday were from 13 states, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
To prepare for the surge in new cases, the government has advised Nigerians to adhere to health protocols such as wearing masks and social distancing, especially in indoor settings.
Photo Credit: Getty
