COVID-19: Only Those Eligible For Phase One Will Be Vaccinated – Lagos Govt

Only those who fit into Phase One of the COVID-19 vaccination
exercise in Lagos State will be attended to at the approved sites
from Monday, the government has said.

Such persons include healthcare workers, COVID-19 Response Team
(RRT), ports of entry staff, laboratory network, judiciary,
military, police, other security agencies, petrol station workers,
teachers, press, and other frontline workers, as well as those who
are 70 years above.

The Commissioner for Health in Lagos, Professor Akin Abayomi,
stated this on Sunday after reviewing the report of the weeklong
phase one vaccination rollout campaign in the state.

He hinted that the exercise would resume on Monday at the 88
approved vaccination sites across the state after the weekend
break.

Abayomi urged the eligible persons to observe and ensure strict
adherence to COVID-19 protocols and instructions given by officials
when they visit the vaccination sites.

He advised them to maintain a social distance of at least two
meters, wear a face mask, and ensure proper hand hygiene at the
centres.

‘We Will Vaccinate Everybody’
While noting that the protocols were still in place, especially at
public places and events requiring the gathering of people, the
Commissioner stated that security personnel have been stationed at
the sites to provide security, maintain order, and ensure adherence
to the guidelines.

“We understand that there is a great demand for the COVID-19
vaccine in Lagos, leading to an increase in activities at our
various vaccination sites; this has brought to fore the need to
ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols, as well as
accountability and security for officials, citizens and the cold
chain mechanism at the sites,” he said.

The commissioner added, “We want to avoid crowding and the
resultant spread of the COVID-19 infection at the vaccination
sites; this is why we are appealing to persons who are not
categorised in phase one of the vaccination exercise to keep off
the vaccination sites.

“It is, therefore, important to reiterate that the state
government through the Ministry of Health remains committed to
preventing COVID-19 infection and will not encourage a scenario
where people are vulnerable to the transmission through overcrowded
vaccination centres.

“Lagosians should be patient, we will vaccinate everybody
eventually, but there is the need for citizens to support the
government by following the vaccination implementation plan to
ensure a successful exercise. We plan to vaccinate this year into
2022.”

Reporting Untoward Events
Abayomi also urged eligible citizens who fit into Phase One of the
vaccination exercise to pre-register for the vaccine via
https://www.nphcdaict.com.ng or https://www.vaccination.gov.ng
before proceeding to any of the sites for a quick and seamless
process.

On the safety and side effects of the vaccine, the Commissioner
for Health stated that the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID vaccine has
been declared safe by the World Health Organization and okayed by
the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control
(NAFDAC) for administration.

According to the commissioner, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines,
like others, have some common side effects which typically only
last for 24 to 48 hours.

Abayomi listed some of the common adverse events that could be
experienced to include pain or tenderness at the injection site,
tiredness, chills, joint pains, headache, fever, muscle pain, and
nausea.

He said, “Health workers have been extensively trained on the
administration of the vaccine and vaccine safety and the aftercare
of vaccination.

“Should any of these side effects become problematic, kindly
call the number of the LGA Disease Surveillance Notification
Officer (DSNO) provided at the back of the vaccination card for
guidance and return to the same health facility where the vaccine
was administered for further investigations and treatment.”

“All vaccinated persons are also advised to download the MED
SAFETY app monitored by NAFDAC.

“The app can be downloaded on the iOS Store or Google Play
store, and can be used to report any untoward event experienced
after vaccination or any other adverse drug reactions experienced
with the use of concomitant drugs,” the commissioner explained.

He noted that the objective of the phased rollout plan was to
vaccinate people who were vulnerable to the disease.

Only those who fit into Phase One of the COVID-19 vaccination
exercise in Lagos State will be attended to at the approved sites
from Monday, the government has said.

Such persons include healthcare workers, COVID-19 Response Team
(RRT), ports of entry staff, laboratory network, judiciary,
military, police, other security agencies, petrol station workers,
teachers, press, and other frontline workers, as well as those who
are 70 years above.

The Commissioner for Health in Lagos, Professor Akin Abayomi,
stated this on Sunday after reviewing the report of the weeklong
phase one vaccination rollout campaign in the state.

He hinted that the exercise would resume on Monday at the 88
approved vaccination sites across the state after the weekend
break.

Abayomi urged the eligible persons to observe and ensure strict
adherence to COVID-19 protocols and instructions given by officials
when they visit the vaccination sites.

He advised them to maintain a social distance of at least two
meters, wear a face mask, and ensure proper hand hygiene at the
centres.

‘We Will Vaccinate Everybody’
While noting that the protocols were still in place, especially at
public places and events requiring the gathering of people, the
Commissioner stated that security personnel have been stationed at
the sites to provide security, maintain order, and ensure adherence
to the guidelines.

“We understand that there is a great demand for the COVID-19
vaccine in Lagos, leading to an increase in activities at our
various vaccination sites; this has brought to fore the need to
ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols, as well as
accountability and security for officials, citizens and the cold
chain mechanism at the sites,” he said.

The commissioner added, “We want to avoid crowding and the
resultant spread of the COVID-19 infection at the vaccination
sites; this is why we are appealing to persons who are not
categorised in phase one of the vaccination exercise to keep off
the vaccination sites.

“It is, therefore, important to reiterate that the state
government through the Ministry of Health remains committed to
preventing COVID-19 infection and will not encourage a scenario
where people are vulnerable to the transmission through overcrowded
vaccination centres.

“Lagosians should be patient, we will vaccinate everybody
eventually, but there is the need for citizens to support the
government by following the vaccination implementation plan to
ensure a successful exercise. We plan to vaccinate this year into
2022.”

Reporting Untoward Events
Abayomi also urged eligible citizens who fit into Phase One of the
vaccination exercise to pre-register for the vaccine via
https://www.nphcdaict.com.ng or https://www.vaccination.gov.ng
before proceeding to any of the sites for a quick and seamless
process.

On the safety and side effects of the vaccine, the Commissioner
for Health stated that the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID vaccine has
been declared safe by the World Health Organization and okayed by
the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control
(NAFDAC) for administration.

According to the commissioner, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines,
like others, have some common side effects which typically only
last for 24 to 48 hours.

Abayomi listed some of the common adverse events that could be
experienced to include pain or tenderness at the injection site,
tiredness, chills, joint pains, headache, fever, muscle pain, and
nausea.

He said, “Health workers have been extensively trained on the
administration of the vaccine and vaccine safety and the aftercare
of vaccination.

“Should any of these side effects become problematic, kindly
call the number of the LGA Disease Surveillance Notification
Officer (DSNO) provided at the back of the vaccination card for
guidance and return to the same health facility where the vaccine
was administered for further investigations and treatment.”

“All vaccinated persons are also advised to download the MED
SAFETY app monitored by NAFDAC.

“The app can be downloaded on the iOS Store or Google Play
store, and can be used to report any untoward event experienced
after vaccination or any other adverse drug reactions experienced
with the use of concomitant drugs,” the commissioner explained.

He noted that the objective of the phased rollout plan was to
vaccinate people who were vulnerable to the disease.