COVID-19 Update; FG buys 29m doses of J&J vaccine

13 Aug COVID-19 Update; FG buys 29m doses of J&J vaccine

The Federal Government announced yesterday that it has spent N122bn in purchasing 29 million doses of J&J COVID vaccine.

Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) Faisal Shuaib made the announcement as he took delivery of the first batch of 177,600 doses of the vaccine.

The procurement of the doses was done through the African Vaccine Acquisition Team (AVAT) of the African Union Commission, through a facility provided by the AFREXIMBANK.

Shuaib said the procurement of the 29 million doses, which cost $298.5 million (over N122 billion), is to enable the country vaccinate 70 percent of the population and that the rollout schedule for the 177,600 doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccines will begin on Monday, pending the delivery of the remaining doses.

The High Commission of Nigeria in London has been shut for 10 days after some diplomats tested positive for COVID-19. One of the diplomats was discovered to be COVID-19 positive after he took mandatory test for the virus at the entrance of UK Home Office during a visit for a meeting alongside two other colleagues.

* The African Export-Import Bank, which facilitated the procurement of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, says the vaccine costs Nigeria $7.50 as against $10 per dose.

* Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire says that though the Delta variant of COVID-19 is on the rise in the country, the Federal Government will not lock down the economy. Ehanire said this at the ministerial briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, said a lock down would be the last measure because doing so would stifle the economy and restrict people’s freedom.

* Thursday Caseload: Nigeria reported five deaths and 753 new cases on Thursday, with Lagos accounting for 364 of the cases.

There are now 180661 confirmed cases, with 166560 recoveries and 2200 deaths in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory

The 753 new cases were reported from 14 states:  Lagos (364), Akwa Ibom (141), Oyo (74), Rivers (46), Abia (38), Ogun (24), Kwara (20), FCT (12), Ekiti (10), Delta (9), Edo (6), Plateau (5), Imo (19), and Bayelsa (1)

* The widow of former President Shehu Shagari has died from COVID-19 complications. In a statement signed on behalf of the family, the Sarkin Marafan Shagari, Muhammad Bala Shagari (retd Capt.), said Hadiza died at a hospital in Abuja in the early hours of Thursday. She was 80 years old.