*The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency explains eligibility for the booster doses includes being 18 years and above, fully vaccinated with either two doses of AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, or a single dose of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine in the country

*We only have about 7.35 percent who are fully vaccinated. We are far from even bothering about a booster  ─Dr. John Nkengason, Director of Africa CDC

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

As the mass vaccinations against the Coronavirus (COVID-19) continue in the country, the Federal Government has disclosed it will commence the administration of booster doses of COVID-19 Vaccines Friday, December 10, 2021.

Dr. Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), stated this Thursday, December 9, in Abuja, FCT.

Dr. Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director of NPHCDA

It was however, gathered that the Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC), an agency of the African Union (AU), has kicked against the introduction of booster doses in African countries.

Recall Nigeria March 5 this year commenced COVID-19 vaccinations across the country with a total of 3.94 million doses of the AstraZeneca Vaccine from the COVAX Institute of India.

This was followed by a vaccination break due to the ban of vaccine transportation by the Serum Institute of India, the main supplier to the COVAX facility.

In August, Nigeria resumed her second phase of vaccine with donations of Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines which were received through donations from foreign countries.

The country also received several doses of the J and J vaccine which it procured through a joint partnership with other African Union countries through the AVATT facility.

Dr. Shuaib Thursday also stated: “The Federal Government reviewed the country’s vaccination programme and resolved to introduce the booster dose using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine across the country.

“This will take effect from tomorrow, Friday, 10th of December, 2021.

“It is pertinent to reiterate the fact that the Nigerian COVID-19 vaccination programme is science-driven. Evidence has shown that the booster dose further increases protection against the virus.”

The NPHCDA Executive Director also said: “Eligibility for the booster dose includes being 18 years and above, fully vaccinated with either two doses of AstraZeneca, Moderna or Pfizer BioNTech or a single dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

“The time interval before the booster dose is at least six months for these vaccines, except the Johnson and Johnson which is at least two months.

“This is another opportunity to be further protected. I therefore urge all those who have taken the right decision to be fully vaccinated, to walk into the nearest vaccination site for their booster dose as from tomorrow (Friday).”

According to Shuaib, a Coronavirus booster vaccine dose helps improve the protection after receiving the first two doses.

You can’t talk of booster jabs when peoples haven’t received any ─Africa CDC

Despite Nigeria’s efforts at administering the COVID-19 Vaccine boosters beginning Friday, December 10, Dr. John Nkengason, Director of Africa CDC, told reporters  during the weekly media briefing Thursday that “African nations have procured 431 million vaccine doses so far and administered 245 million.

“You can’t even talk of a booster when you have people who haven’t received their first doses.

“We only have about 7.35 percent who are fully vaccinated. We are far from even bothering about a booster.”

Dr. Nkengason further remarked: “We need to get people to take their vaccines. However with the elderly and the immunocompromised because of the decay of antibodies, they should have booster shots.”

In respect of vaccine mandate in some African countries, including Nigeria, Director of Africa CDC said: “We can’t win this battle against COVID-19 vaccination. I think that my first order would be to appeal to people to get their vaccines.

“The second is that if people refuse, then the government will not have a choice but to impose vaccine mandates.

“We do not need to get there if we do the right thing. How long will we be going on with restrictions? We need to go out there and get vaccines.”

ConsumerConnect reports thus far, a total of 3,867,815 have been fully vaccinated while a  total of 7,449,989 Nigerians have taken the first dose, according to NPHCDA.