Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, alongside his deputy, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, publicly took the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine while flagging-off the vaccination exercise in the state.
Engineer Sule and his deputy received the vaccination at a ceremony at the Government House, on Tuesday.
Addressing the press shortly after taking the vaccination, the Governor, urged mostly those at the risk of exposure to the coronavirus pandemic, especially political appointees such as commissioners and traditional rulers, to take the vaccine.
Engineer Sule used the opportunity to thank the Federal Government, as well as the Nigerian Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC), for their concerted efforts, towards seeing that the first batch of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine arrives in Nigeria and Nasarawa State in particular.
“We also wish to thank the President and all members of the NDCD committee, as well as the Minister of Finance and the Executive Chairman of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaibu, who have continued to play a key role to see that we receive these vaccines,” the Governor said.
The Governor equally thanked the state Commissioner of Health, Pharmacist Ahmed Baba Yahaya and other officials of the ministry for working hard to see that Nasarawa receives its share of the vaccines.
Engineer Sule however cautioned that taking the first dose of the vaccine may not confer immunity against COVID-19, urging those who will take the vaccines to continue to use their face masks, pending the administration of the second dose.
Earlier, Nasarawa State Deputy Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, disclosed that the state has so far received 61 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines.
Dr. Akabe, who doubles as the chairman of the state task force on COVID-19, further disclosed that he undertook an inspection of the state cold room, stressing that the facility is in good condition to store the vaccines.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor assured that the vaccine is safe for use.
