In a bid to compel awareness and heighten acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccines President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, and other prominent Nigerians will be among the first people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on live television. The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, (NPHCDA) Faisal Shuaib, revealed this at Thursday’s briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
“President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osibanjo and other prominent Nigerians are willing to be among the first set of Nigerians to receive the vaccine on live television to help drive acceptance.
“This is in accordance with terms of the prioritization of vaccines and strategic country leadership.
“These critical leaders and others would likely take the vaccine in full glare of the public to demonstrate that this vaccine is safe,” Mr. Shuaib.
The initial vaccines would come as part of Nigeria’s plan to inoculate 40 percent of the population in 2021 and another 30 percent in 2022, with 100,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine arriving by the end of January 2021.
