Frontpage News (3249)
Ensure COVID-19 vaccines reach right people, not politicians that can afford them, NMA, NARD tell FG
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The Nigerian Medical Association and the National Association of Resident Doctors have urged the Federal Government not to politicise the COVID-19 vaccination. The medical associations advised the government to ensure that the vaccine gets to the people that need it, rather than politicians that can afford it.
The NMA and NARD said the vaccines are meant for Nigerians and not for some special persons. The associations called for transparency in the distribution and prioritisation of COVID-19 vaccination in the country.
Why anyone who takes COVID-19 vaccine must get second dose
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An Assistant Professor of Biology at the Penn State University, David Kennedy, says skipping the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine could lead to mutation and allow the virus to spread. Another expert warned that the second dose of vaccine gives you the most protection and prevents you from becoming seriously ill and/or hospitalised due to COVID-19.
This is even as experts say Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and other COVID-19 vaccines require two doses each. For instance, the recommended dosage for the AstraZeneca vaccine is two doses given intramuscularly (0.5ml each) with an interval of eight to 12 weeks, according to the World Health Organisation.
Oncologists allay fears over breast cancer-like reaction triggered by COVID-19 vaccine
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As mass vaccination against COVID-19 continues across the globe, oncologists have allayed fears over a recent side effect of the vaccine that resembles symptoms of breast cancer. They noted that the side effect, which appears like swollen lymph nodes and is being mistaken for breast lumps, is the body’s normal response to the vaccine.
The experts revealed that the side effect has been associated with the mRNA vaccines and can be detected through mammograms and other imaging machines. The experts, in a report published by USA Today, urged patients intending to undergo a mammogram to carry out the procedure before getting a COVID-19 vaccine or to have the two well-spaced out.
Over 2 Million Nigerians Registered On COVID-19 Vaccine Website In A Day, Says FG
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About 2.3 million Nigerians have registered on the online registration portal for COVID-19 vaccinations, Nigeria’s primary healthcare agency boss said on Wednesday. “In less than 24 hours, 2.3 million Nigerians have registered to take the vaccines and the numbers keep increasing,” Faisal Shuaib said during a Channels TV interview.
Osindeinde Ademilayo Abodede, a healthcare worker, was the first to register for the vaccine, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) said in a Tweet on Monday. Her appointment was scheduled for March 12 in Abuja.
The House of Representatives has warned of a second outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the country, urging the country’s health officials to embrace preventive measures. The House gave the warning on Wednesday in plenary, after adopting a motion on the subject, sponsored by Rep. Idem Unyime(Akwa Ibom-PDP).
The motion is entitled: “Urgent Need to Create Immediate Public awareness to Combat Possible outbreak of Ebola Virus, and to take measures to avoid the same”. In his motion, Rep. Idem, who represents Ukansfun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State, while presenting his motion, recalled that “Ebola Virus Disease (commonly known as “Ebola”)
FG, commissioners meet over sharing of 3.9m COVID-19 vaccine doses today
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The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, has convened a meeting with commissioners for health in the 36 states as part of efforts to ensure effective sharing and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Plateau State Commissioner for Health, Dr Nimkong Lar, and his counterpart in Cross River State, Dr Betta Edu, who disclosed this in separate interviews without correspondent on Wednesday, said the meeting would hold in Abuja on Thursday (today).
Fully-vaccinated people can gather indoors without masks –CDC
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The United States Centres for Disease Control says people who have been fully vaccinated can gather indoors with other fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask. In the new guidance released on Monday, CDC said those who are fully vaccinated can also gather indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household (for example, visiting with relatives who all live together) without masks unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series,
Only 200 Doctors and 7 Pharmacists Are Attending To 6 Million Borno Residents
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Marte disclosed this at the weekend when he led a delegation to the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, in Abuja. The delegation sought the federal government’s intervention in the state’s healthcare delivery system. 
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, has called for caution against the use of Ivermectin in the treatment of COVID-19 even as it declared COVID-19 vaccines are safe for use in Nigeria.
The pharmacists decried that even with the availability of funds and infrastructure Nigeria cannot produce vaccines due to the absence of an effective Pharmacy law in the country. Addressing a press conference on the Rollout of COVID-19 Vaccines in Lagos,
A new study has revealed that the B.1.17 COVID-19 variant first discovered in the United Kingdom last year has a significantly higher death rate. According to a report published by Reuters, the highly infectious variant that has spread around the world is between 30 percent and 100 percent more deadly than other dominant COVID-19 variants.
The study compared death rates among people in Britain infected with the new SARS-CoV-2 variant – known as B.1.1.7 – against those infected with other variants of the COVID-19-causing virus, scientists said that the B.1.1.7 mortality rate was “significantly higher”.
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Lagos leads vaccine allocation with 507,000 doses, FCT 219,800, Katsina 160,000
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States on Tuesday started receiving their consignments of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine with Lagos collecting 507,000 doses, Nasarawa, 61,000; Ekiti, 52,960 and Ondo, 75,570.
Officials of the states disclosed these figures to The PUNCH in separate interviews just as one of our correspondents gathered that between 150,000 and 160,000 doses would be given to Katsina State.
Too thin or too fat? You’re at higher risk of severe COVID-19 –CDC
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A new report from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has indicated that having a very low or very high body mass index (BMI) is a significant risk factor for a more severe COVID-19 infection.
According to the World Health Organisation, BMI is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults. It is defined as a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of his height in meters.
Lagos to begin COVID-19 vaccine rollout weekend –Sanwo-Olu
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The Lagos State Government says it will start rolling out COVID-19 vaccines by the weekend. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu disclosed this on Wednesday when the World Health Organisation Representative to Nigeria, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, paid him a courtesy visit at the State House, Alausa.
In a series of tweets, Sanwo-Olu’s Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, via his Twitter handle @gboyegaakosile said a steering committee set up for the vaccine administration was in its final stage of preparation for the deployment of the vaccine.
No COVID-19 vaccination for under 18, pregnant women —Bauchi govt
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Bauchi State Government says pregnant women, those under 18 years, and people with critical ailments will not receive the COVID-19 vaccine in the state. Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, Chairman, Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Bauchi on Thursday.
Mohammed said that the exclusion of these categories of people was part of the action plan developed for the exercise in the state. “Pregnant women, under 18 years of age and those with critical ailment will not be given the vaccine.
