40,000 FCT residents receive jabs of COVID-19 vaccine – official

By Stanley Onyekwere

No fewer than 40,000 residents of nation’s  capital city have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccines, since the roll out of the exercise in March, according to Acting Executive Secretary, FCT Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Ndaeyo Iwot.

Iwot, who disclosed this while monitoring the vaccination of FCT lawmakers yesterday, said the figure is part of the 1million doses, so far inoculated nation wide.

He urged residents to ignore conspiracy theories and fake news being pushed on social media, stressing that no known adverse effect of the vaccine has been recorded.

While reiterating the safety of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, the FCTA health official, clarified that two of the five cases being bandied around are not directly linked to the vaccine.

Similarly, the Permanent  Secretary of the FCT, Mr. Adesola Olusade, while commending the FCT lawmakers for publicly receiving the vaccine, said such act will not just validate the efficacy and safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine, but also  boost public confidence on the exercise.

Olusade, who noted that government will not make it compulsory for Nigerians to take their jabs, however explained that certain situations may necessitate taking the jab.

Speaking to journalists after taking his first jab,  Senator Philip Aduda commended the efforts of the FCT Administration in curbing the spread of the pandemic.

Aduda, who led two members of House of Representatives, representing the FCT, Hon.  Micha Jiba and Hon. Hassan Usman Sokodabo to get their jabs, said doing this will convince their supporters and other stakeholders that the vaccine is safe

“We members of the National Assembly, our families and domestic staff are here to be vaccinated. As a leader, I should be able to convince the people that this is safe.

“Decline in number of positive cases is an indication that the FCT Administration is getting it right”, the FCT Lone Senator stated.