Why COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and have a lot of benefits. They protect people from getting sick or dying from the COVID-19 disease.    The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) enjoined Nigerians to get vaccinated today . It said COVID-19 vaccines are safe, free, effective and save lives. Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire said […]

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and have a lot of benefits. They protect people from getting sick or dying from the COVID-19 disease.   

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) enjoined Nigerians to get vaccinated today . It said COVID-19 vaccines are safe, free, effective and save lives.

Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire said that the Federal Government remains committed to the provision of safe and efficacious COVID-19 vaccines in the country backed with accountability and transparency.

He said every COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria is tagged and tracked by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ensure quality and potency are maintained across the supply chain.

“We are fully guided by the principle of safety, efficacy, transparency, and accountability in the mass vaccination campaign. No vaccine will be allowed to enter any vaccination site without due authentication and safety verification. We will never compromise on vaccine safety and vaccination standards.

“May I at this juncture stress once more that taking the COVID-19 vaccine is not just an act of self-protection but also a civic duty to curtail the spread of the virus. Every one of us has a critical role to play in the effort to stop the virus from spreading. I, therefore, urge you to get vaccinated and ensure every eligible person around you is vaccinated,” he said.

According to the Dr. Faisal Shuaib , the Executive Director NPHCDA, a vaccine is a reliable and proven tool for prevention and control of infectious diseases, such as COVID-19.

He urged Nigerians to get vaccinated, adding that no death has been recorded from COVID-19 vaccination in the country.

“This should further serve to convince everyone that COVID-19 vaccines are safe,” he added.

Also speaking during the recent launch of scaled 3.0 project , the  NPHCDA boss said , COVID-19 is still very much present in our country, and it remains a formidable threat to our collective health and wellbeing.

He said , “We need to take necessary measures to protect ourselves against COVID-19. Take advantage of our integrated services to access care in our health facilities and other designated locations. Please get vaccinated and help keep your family, your community, and the country safe from COVID-19! “

Ekumankama Joseph Nkama, Minister of State for Health says vaccines have remained the most effective and affordable way to control diseases in the world.

He said contagious diseases such as small pox and polio were eradicated through vaccines. Many other diseases of public health concern have been brought under control through vaccination.

“The deliberate misinformation that followed the outbreak of COVID-19 is not strange. It was part of the difficult history of polio vaccination. Today, we have successfully eradicated polio in Nigeria and some of us have forgotten how we were misinformed about the vaccine. It is the same way we shall forget how we have been misinformed that COVID-19 vaccines are meant to kill and cause magnetic effects.

“May I end by imploring all parents and all eligible persons to take advantage of the opportunities offered in SCALES 3.0 strategy to access health services wherever you may be in the country,” he added.

UNICEF Nigeria Representative, Dr. Peter Hawkins said that every Nigerian has a role in stemming the COVID-19 pandemic by getting vaccinated, promoting vaccination, and observing the COVID-19 safety prevention measures.