Buhari, Osinbajo Take COVID-19 Vaccine [Photos]

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, on Saturday, received the COVID-19 vaccine publicly at the Presidential Villa.

President Buhari was vaccinated at 11:51a.m., while Professor Osinbajo took his at 11:57 am.

It was preceded by e-registration of the President and the Vice President and the filling out of their vaccination cards by the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Faisal Shuaib.

Vaccination of Buhari was done by Chief Personal Physician to the President, Dr. Suhayb Rafindadi Sanusi, after which he was presented with the e-vaccination card by Dr. Shuaib at 11:59a.m.

Professor Osinbajo was vaccinated by his personal physician, Dr. Nicholas Audifferen, and was also presented with the e-vaccination card by Dr. Shuaib by 11:59a.m.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said the jab was painless, a narrow gauge syringe was used with a small quantity injected in the upper arm.

He said the after-effects are mild and little discomfort follows in the area that was injected.

Other personalities present at the brief ceremony were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; and the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari.

Nigeria commenced the COVID-19 vaccination of its citizens on Friday, three days after it received 3.94 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Assess Facility (COVAX).

The COVID-19 vaccines arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport at about 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday. Nigeria is the third Africa country to benefit from the COVAX facility after Ghana and Ivory Coast.

The COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria began with health workers, who are often at risk of exposure to infections, including COVID-19, as they are the first responders to patients.
Before the arrival of the vaccines, the government had said the president and other officials will take the vaccines publicly to encourage Nigerians to accept it.