Covid-19: After 154 Killed, Rivers State Begins Mass Vaccination To Prevent Fourth Wave

Rivers State Ministry of Health says it has commenced a Covid-19 mass vaccination campaign across the twenty-three local government areas, to curtail the spread of COVID-19 disease which had Killed 254 persons in the state.

Commissioner for Health, Professor Princewill Chike, who disclosed this while briefing journalists at the state Secretariat, said the mass vaccination is due to the anticipation of the fourth wave of COVID-19 and the number of persons vaccinated so far.

According to him, the state has tested and confirmed twelve thousand, eight hundred and seventy-four person’s positive to Covid-19, discharged twelve thousand six hundred and fifty-one persons and one hundred and fifty-four confirmed dead from COVID-19.

He noted further that a total of one hundred and ninety-three thousand, one hundred and twenty-three persons have had their first and second doses (193,123) of AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines which represents a 52 percent coverage.

He said, “Considering the population of Rivers State, the fact that the world is anticipating the fourth wave of COVID-19 and the number of persons so far vaccinated, there is a dire need to commence a mass vaccination campaign to vaccinate more than fifty per cent of the eligible population in the state to the pandemic in check.

“The state has trained (454) teams spread across the twenty-three LGAs. To this effect, there will be mass vaccination sites to be sited in highly populated areas like markets, etc.

“Mobile vaccination activities will be in place across all LGAs, outreach services will also be part of the campaign. The ministry has accredited some selected private facilities and community pharmacies where vaccination teams will be located.

“The state has set up a joint task force to monitor activities of fraudsters during the campaign, hence building the trust of the general public and international communities on our vaccination processes”

He urged the public to use the opportunity of the mass vaccination to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to fight the spread.

“Rivers State is ready to vaccinate a large number of persons, kindly avail yourself the opportunity to get vaccinated. Vaccination is free of charge at all levels.”

The commissioner, however, warned the public to desist from flouting the Covid-19 protocols for burial, wedding and other gatherings, as anyone caught will pay the sum of one hundred million naira as penalty.