COVID-19: Nigerians’ll Receive Single Dose Of J&J Vaccine Or 2 Doses Of AstraZeneca — Mamora

The Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora, has revealed how the Federal Government intends to administer the long-awaited COVID-19 vaccines expected in Nigeria on Tuesday.

Mamora disclosed that contrary to the previous information that two doses were required to protect individuals from the disease, the brand of vaccine being administered would determine the number of doses.

The minister said one dose had been proven to be enough if an individual were to be inoculated with Johnson and Johnson vaccine, while two doses may be required for AstraZeneca.

Mamora spoke while appearing on Channels TV’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ on Monday.

He said, “In fact, we are beginning to hear the thoughts that the hitherto two doses may not even be necessary, it may just be one dose. They are beginning to have a suggestion that one dose might just be okay rather than two but for now, the vaccine will just stick to single-dose administration.

“For me It’s preferable in terms of convenience, compliance, and possibly cost implication —Two doses AstraZeneca at intervals and then for Johnson and Johnson its single dose,” he disclosed.

Meanwhile, the minister also explained why the country was lagging behind in receiving its first batch of vaccines while its African counterparts like Ghana and Ivory Coast had received ther first batches.

“The bodies, that is the COVAD protocols, they have the order that they intend to follow in the distribution… One is the population size. A lot of these countries in Africa that have gotten this vaccine before us are small countries, like one third the size of Lagos. Nigeria is a huge country,” he said.

Mamora said other factors may include a nation’s infections rate and death toll, noting that regardless of the timing, “What is important is that we get our vaccines and I can assure that the NPHCDA which is the lead agency in this whole process of vaccine administration management industry has done a good job”.

The country will receive about four million doses of AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday and the dispatch is part of an overall 16 million doses planned to be delivered to Nigeria in batches over the next months by the COVAX facility.

Nigeria plans to inoculate 40% of its population this year and 30% more in 2022. The country expects to receive vaccine donations that will cover one-fifth of its population and then procure an additional 50% of its requirement to achieve herd immunity.