COVID-19: Edo Immunises Over 37,000 Persons, Extends First Phase Vaccination Exercise
The Edo State Government has announced the extension of the first phase of COVID-19 vaccination across the state’s 18 local councils to enable more people to receive the vaccine and get protected against the deadly virus.
The State’s COVID-19 Incident Manager, Dr. Andrew Obi, who disclosed this to journalists in Benin City, said the state has so far vaccinated over 37,000 persons, including health workers, strategic leaders and other frontline workers.
Obi further urged all eligible citizens for the first phase vaccination exercise to leverage the extension to get inoculated at various designated centres across the state.
The Incident Manager, who reassured the government’s commitment to ending the pandemic and ensuring the health of citizens, noted that the second dose vaccination for the first phase will commence in June, 2020.
According to him, “The Edo State Government has continued to intensify the COVID-19 vaccination exercise, as additional AstraZeneca vaccines were received from the Federal Government. These vaccines are meant for mop-up of the first phase of the COVID-19 vaccination, to reach front line workers, strategic leaders, the elderly and other eligible persons.
“To this effect, more vaccination posts/centres have been created in local government areas and in the metropolis for citizens to access the vaccine on a daily basis, till the 22nd of May, 2021.
“The centres include fixed vaccination posts at the Edo State Ministry of Health Secretariat; Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, at Hospitals Management Board Premises; Central Hospital and the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH). This is in addition to two roaming teams to cover strategic places daily, including markets, schools, religious houses, organisations, kingdoms/clans and corporate bodies, among others.”
Noting the need for citizens to ensure compliance with guidelines and other non-pharmaceutical interventions against the spread of the pandemic, Obi noted, “We urge everyone to complement the government’s efforts at containing the pandemic and preventing a third wave of the virus by taking responsibility and adhering to guidelines to curtail the spread of the virus across all our communities.”
“You must continue to wear your facemask when in public; wash your hands regularly under running water, use alcohol-based hand sanitizers and observe social distancing,” he charged.
