Covid-19: ‘Govt Officials Should Take Vaccine First… Let’s See If They Survive’ – Renown Virologist

A former President of the Nigerian Academy of Science, Prof. Oyewale Tomori , has tasked government officials to be the first set of people to take COVID-19 vaccines as they are expected in Nigeria on Tuesday March 2.

Tomori, who is a professor of Virology, said this would convince Nigerians who have been skeptical about the safety of the vaccines.

Speaking on Monday in an interview on a programme monitored by our correspondent on Channels Television, Tomori, who is a former Vice Chancellor of the Redeemer’s University, Ede said that would be in the principle of leadership by example.

Tomori said once the leaders have been vaccinated, Nigerians would start to have confidence in the vaccines.

“Some of those government officials should first take the vaccines and then we’ll watch them and see whether they survive or they don’t survive. Then gradually, we’ll 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.

“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.”