COVID-19 : AstraZeneca vaccine safe, efficacious

The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has declared as safe and efficacious, AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, as Nigeria takes delivery of 3.92 doses of the vaccine.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the PTF Chairman, Mr Boss Mustapha, made the  declaration in Abuja.

Supreme reports that Nigeria has received 3,9340,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from India.

The doses are the first tranche of the 16 million doses expected under COVAX Facility arrangement.

Speaking at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the SGF said: “The arrival of the AstraZeneca vaccine today marks a significant milestone in the National Response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

“For over one year, humanity has remained under the siege of a virus that has impacted on lives, livelihood, destroyed economies, governance systems, medical services, socio-economic systems.

” Nations around the world have deployed enormous resources to tackle the virus which has seen a first wave and more virulent second wave.”

He noted that COVID-19 had claimed more than 2.5 million lives worldwide.

” The successful development of vaccines and the accelerated process for emergency authorisation has brought hope to humanity.

“Its arrival in Nigeria today has been made possible through purposeful leadership by His Excellency, the President, in collaboration with domestic stakeholders, the international community,” he said.