Virologist urges Nigerian Government officials to take COVID-19 vaccines first to assure safety

*A Nigerian Professor of Virology, Oyewale Tomori, has once the Nigerian leaders have been immunised openly with the COVID-19 vaccines, the citizens will start to have confidence in the vaccines

Emmanuel Akosile | ConsumerConnect

As Nigeria expects the arrival of its first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine allocation from the Covax facility Tuesday, March 3, Oyewale Tomori, a Professor of Virology at the University of Ibadan (UI), has said government officials should be among the first set of Nigerians to get the virus vaccine shots in the country.

Prof. Tomori, who stated this speaking in an interview on Channels Television, said such a move would convince the citizenry about safety of the Coronavirus vaccines being expected in the country Tuesday.

The virologist noted: “Let’s see some of those government people take the vaccines, and then we will watch them and see whether they survive or they don’t survive. Then gradually, we begin to build up people’s immunity.

“But, tell me to go and get the vaccine and then, you are taking your own children to Dubai to go and take another vaccine. Of course, I will not believe in you.

“Do it openly at the Eagles Square. Get the big people there ─the legislature, whatever, then we’ll convince our people that it is safe to take.”

Tomori said once the leaders have been vaccinated, people will start to have confidence in the vaccines.

The Professor of Virology further stated: “It is a gradual thing; over time people will now begin to say these guys that have gotten it did not die, did not fall sick.

“Therefore, I can go there and take it. That’s what we need to do. Leadership in this country has to come from the top.

“Apart from the health workers, we need to get our leaders to come out there openly and take this vaccine. I would be one of the ones to go there and get the vaccine.”