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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Government has announced that it will commence the inoculation of the second batch of COVID-19 Moderna vaccines on Aug 10.
The new vaccine donated by the United States of America is in a bid to step up efforts to battle the third wave of the virus.
According to a statement by the Director Press, Office of the Secretary General Federation, Willie Bassey, the flag off of the second batch of Moderna vaccines will be in Abuja.
“As you may be aware, the PSC has received over four million doses of Moderna vaccine donated by the US government to Nigeria. In view of the above, the flag off is scheduled as follows: Tuesday, August 10, 2021. At the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, off Airport Road, Abuja”.
The U.S Embassy in Nigeria had on August 2, donated four million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine as part of the United States’ global efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
The US Chargé d’Affaires, Kathleen FitzGibbon, delivered the shipment to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, Dr Faisal Shuaib and members of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19.
The new vaccines are part of the U.S pledge to initially provide at least 25 million of the 80 million doses globally to Africa, as well as part of President Joe Biden’s promise to give 500 million vaccines to the world by the end of 2022.
The delivery was the second batch of vaccines to arrive in Nigeria after four million doses were delivered in March under the COVAX vaccine sharing facility.
Nigeria has since exhausted the four million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to kick off its nationwide inoculation programme.
The Federal Government had announced plans to vaccinate 109 million people against the COVID-19 virus over a period of two years.
It said that only those from 18 years and above would be vaccinated.
