The Lagos State government has identified 88 healthcare facilities across the state where residents can go to take the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines.
These Centres, which include military and police hospitals, have been selected to provide vaccination across the 20 Local Government Areas, the Commissioner for Health in Lagos, Professor Akin Abayomi, said in a statement on Tuesday.
He stated that vaccination can only be obtained at any of the accredited facilities listed and warned that vaccination outside of the centres was highly prohibited.
Abayomi advised residents to stay away from unaccredited centres, stressing that failure to do so would attract heavy sanctions through the relevant government agencies.
On the rollout and administration procedure, he noted that the vaccine would be administered in two doses, with 12 weeks apart to increase efficacy.
“Results show a vaccine efficacy of over 70 per cent after the first dose and an average of 82 per cent after the second dose.
“Lagos State Technical Working Committee nominated by Mr Governor to manage the Vaccine Access and Distribution Strategy has aligned itself with the Federal vaccination plan, which will be conducted in four phases,” the commissioner said.
He said the vaccine would be conducted in four phases and the first would capture healthcare workers, COVID-19 response team, ports of entry staff – air, land, and seaports, – laboratory network, judiciary, military, police, other security agencies, petrol station workers, teachers, press, and other frontline workers.
Phase two, according to Abayomi, is for people aged 50 years and above, as well as those living with co-morbidities who are between 18-49 years of age.
He added that the third phase would capture people in the LGAs with the highest burden of disease and those who missed the first two phases, and phase four would capture other eligible populations.
The commissioner revealed that of the first tranche of 3.92 million doses received by the Nigerian government, Lagos State got 507,742 doses of the vaccine in the early hours of March 9 and had commenced its first phase of distribution.
Below is the full statement….
