COVID-19 Vaccine: Nigerians May Be Reluctant To Receive Shots – PTF

With the launch of the COVID-19 vaccine by leading pharmaceutical firms such as Pfizer and Moderna, the COVID-19 Presidential Task Force has reported that Nigerians may be hesitant to take vaccine shots.

Health Minister Osagie Ehanire recently said that Covid vaccines are scheduled to be distributed to Nigeria by January 2021.

Speaking on Wednesday, PTF National Coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu said that when the country receives the first batch of vaccines, he continued that more than 40 million Nigerians will be vaccinated.

“like the challenge faced during polio vaccinations, many Nigerians would hesitate to take COVID-19 vaccine shots”, Aliyu stated.

Aliyu said the Federal Government was working on modalities to ensure efficient storage and convey the COVID-19 vaccines.

He words, “We have continued to work with the Federal Ministry of Health and Primary Healthcare Development Agency. The (NPHCDA) has various ways for delivering vaccines across the country.

What is terribly challenging for some of these vaccines has to do with storing them where they have to be kept at -70 degrees and shipped across the world until they can be used.

The NPHCDA has a council, an advisory committee has been set up by the minister, and the PTF is now coming in to ensure we coordinate effectively.

Furthermore, Aliyu who said that vaccinations alone are not going to help Nigerians out of Covid, urged Nigerians to obey all preventive steps, including the use of face masks, social distance maintenance, as well as daily handwashing.