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The Federal Government has announced that it has on Tuesday received 100,000 doses of Covishield COVID-19 vaccine from India. Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha made the announcement during the committee’s weekly briefing yesterday. Nigeria since the commencement of the nationwide vaccination exercise in March has through COVAX, a United Nations-backed scheme received 3.94 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

The Federal Government has directed all states administering the AstraZeneca vaccine to halt the vaccination exercise when they have used half of the quantity they earlier received. The decision was taken by the Director-General of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaibu on behalf of the federal government saying states are to suspend the vaccination exercise when they have used up half of the number of doses they received. Accordingly, the decision necessitated by the fact that those who have received the first jab should be able to take the second jab, since the possibility of getting the second supply of the vaccine from the company on time is not certain.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has yesterday disclosed that the agency recorded 129 fresh cases of coronavirus infection across the country.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has resolved to embark on an indefinite industrial action on Thursday, April 1 over amongst other things, payment of all salaries arrears as well as poor welfare of their members across the country. NARD President, Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, confirmed the development in a statement issued at the end of its extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held, at the Trauma Centre, National Hospital, Abuja, on Saturday. The resident doctors said their ultimatum given to the federal government at the January NEC meeting in Owerri, Imo State capital will expire by midnight on March 31, 2021, with no significant response from the authorities.

The Federal Government has dispelled the possibility of any fake COVID-19 vaccines being administered or sold by unauthorized institutions in the country. This was contained in a circular signed by Dr. Adebimpe Adebiyi, the Director, Department of Hospital Service, Federal Ministry of Health, on behalf of the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire in Abuja. The circular followed a letter from the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 regarding the arrest of about 3,000 doses of fake COVID-19 vaccines destined for Africa from China.

At least 122,410 Nigerians have been vaccinated with the Oxford-AstraZeneca since the launch of the vaccination exercise on March 5, 2021, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 said.