AstraZeneca vaccination: Gov. Emmanuel, Deputy absent at flag-off

Dennis Udoma, Uyo 

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has urged residents of the state to embrace the ongoing AstraZeneca Vaccination against COVID – 19 pandemic saying, the vaccine was no threat to life.

Udom, gave the advice during the flag-off of the vaccine inoculation at Government House, Uyo on Friday, calling on all, especially those in critical sectors, to participate.

Though, the Governor and his Deputy, Moses Ekpo were conspicuously absent at the flag-off, the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, who represented the governor, reminded that vaccination over the years had provided the people protection against non-treatable diseases.

He applauded the efforts of scientists and researchers, who have made concerted efforts to come up with the vaccines assuring that, the vaccines have been subjected to conventional safety and quality assurance processes as endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

According to him, “I want to assure the people of Akwa Ibom that the vaccines have been  put through conventional safety and quality assurance processes, and approved by WHO and other relevant bodies.

“We started administration of the vaccine on health workers and I want to assure you that, we have not gotten any reports of life-threatening side effects”.

Also, Commissioner for Health, Professor Augustine Umoh declared the vaccination as the last hope against non-treatable diseases and viruses.

Umoh called on the people to accept the vaccination, as modality to control the spread and protect oneself against the virus.

He listed first line beneficiaries for the vaccination in line with the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency protocol to include; frontline health workers, opinion leaders, top government functionaries, security personnel and senior citizens.

Highpoint of the event was the vaccination of the representative of the Governor and Secretary to State Government, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, top government functionaries and security chiefs.

The State Government, it is recalled took delivery of 69, 030 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from the federal government on March 10, 2021 for onward vaccination of the people of the State.