The Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 has approved a vaccine booster against the dreaded virus for eligible Nigerians.
The Executive Director, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, told newsmen in Abuja on Friday that the decision was reached in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and the agency.
Shuaib explained that the decision reached was for the administration of booster doses for those that had completed the two doses of Moderna, Pfizer Bio-N-Tech, AstraZeneca, or one dose of Johnson and Johnson.
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According to him, the eligibility criteria for taking the booster dose include any person of eighteen years and above, time interval of six months or more after receiving the second dose of Pfizer Bio-N-Tech, AstraZeneca or Moderna.
He said, ‘Time interval of two months or more after receiving the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
‘Consequent upon the above, eligible Nigerians are advised to visit the nearest health facility or mass vaccination sites for their booster doses as from Dec.10, 2021, across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.’
The NPHCDA scribe said a COVID-19 booster dose gives higher protection against the virus.
He urged all Nigerians to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
‘The list of the vaccination sites is available on the NPHCDA website. The decision reached was for the administration of booster doses for those that had completed the two doses of Moderna, Pfizer Bio-N-Tech, AstraZeneca, or one dose of Johnson and Johnson.’
According to him, the eligibility criteria for taking the booster dose can be found on the website.
‘For more information, contact the NPHCDA COVID-19 call center on 07002201122 for assistance,’ Shauib advised.
Meanwhile, the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Africa has called on countries to follow science and the advice from professionals rather than imposing flight bans in a bid to contain the new Omicron coronavirus variant.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK