Ikpeazu gets first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Abia

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has received the first dose of Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine shot, making an appeal to citizens to make themselves available for the vaccination.

Ikpeazu on Thursday shortly after receiving the vaccination at the Government House, described the deployment of the vaccine as a device to fight the disease as a global decision by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The governor said that the Federal Government through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) was working in line with the decision by WHO to successfully tackle the disease in Nigeria.

“Therefore, all of us must key into this global agenda to stamp out COVID-19 in all communities in Abia and Nigeria at large.

“It is my prayer that this vaccine will aid us in our battle against COVID-19, so that very soon everything will return to normal and we will bid issues of COVID-19 farewell forever,” he added.

In an interview with newsmen, Dr Chinagozi Adindu, the Executive Secretary of Abia State Primary Healthcare Development Agenda, described the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine as efficacious.

Adindu said that the initial administration of the vaccine would be done on frontline workers, healthcare workers in private and government establishments, law enforcement agents, Abia COVID-19 taskforce team and the elderly.

He said that the agency was adequately prepared to conduct full administration of the vaccine for persons within the targeted group during the vaccination exercise.

Adindu said that the first batch of the vaccine received by the state would be adequate for the vaccination of the targeted group of persons.

He added that in no distant time the state would take delivery of the second batch.

Adindu said that the second batch of the vaccine would be administered on the vulnerable, especially people with underlying ailments.

He said: “The arrangement is that, after receiving the first shot, the person will come again for the second shot which will take place two months from today.

“It is important to receive the second shot within 8-12 weeks, after the first shot as this will be the complete dose which means the person is protected from COVID-19.

“Our target is that before the end of the year we would have vaccinated 40 per cent of Abia population.”