By Stanley Onyekwere
No fewer than forty-two thousand (42,000) people have received their second doses of COVID-19 vaccination, out of the 132, 000 that got vaccinated during the first phase of the exercise in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Acting Executive Secretary, FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS), Dr. Mohammed Kawu, who made this disclosure yesterday, who decried low turnout of eligible persons, said the Administration still have until the middle of July to finish the second dose vaccination.
Kawu, while speaking at a press briefing to commemoration of the 2021 World Health Day in Abuja, however disclosed that FCTA has recommenced first dose with available vaccines, following assurance from the National Primary Healthcare that by July they are going to have about 3.9 Million doses for the country.
He added that although the vaccination exercise is ongoing, and the vaccines are available, but the challenge is having people especially those who have gotten their first jabs going to access them.
He explained that the rationale for continuing wearing facemasks and maintaining COVID19 protocol, even after taken two jabs, because his vaccine does stop one from coming in contact with the virus, but the vaccine produces immunity in vaccinater peoples’ body.
According to him: “As at yesterday (June 16), about 42,000 people got the second dose. And we still have up to the middle of July to finish the second dose vaccination. So, we are appealing to all those who have gotten their first dose to come out and take their second dose.
“So, the greatest challenge is that people are not coming out to take the vaccine. Because, every big Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) across the six Area Councils is a vaccination site. And the immunization units of all our general hospitals are vaccination sites; and there is also mobile vaccination team that moves around places including markets.
“We are monitoring and ensuring that every of these places, the vaccinators are there everyday. There is no cost attached to it, so people that are willing to take, should have easy access to the vaccines as they are 100% free”.
He continued: “Even if you have taken the vaccine, unless is the society develop hard immunity (where majority of people have immunity against the virus), so the virus will not have the power to start spreading in the society.
“Until we get to that level, we will continue to protect ourselves.
For those that don’t have the immune yet, because they have not been vaccinated, if the virus their body, they cannot effectively fight the disease, and therefore they will come down with the disease”.
