10 states yet to hit 50 percent of vaccination target

Latest coronavirus vaccination update from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has shown that 10 states are yet to reach the 50 percent target mark for the first dose of the first phase of COVID-19 vaccination.

The states are: Abia (26.2), Akwa Ibom (35.1), Anambra (27.0), Bayelsa (48.3), Delta (49.0), Ebonyi (38.0), Enugu (36.2), FCT (43.7), Imo (47.8), Rivers (38.2), Sokoto (34.4) and Taraba (29.8).

Recall that the Federal Government had directed states to stop vaccination once they reach 50 percent of the COVID-19 vaccine doses allocated to them in order to ensure that those that have received the first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine are guaranteed their second jab.

This is because of the difficulty and uncertainty in getting the next batch of COVID-19 vaccines, especially the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Also, according to the NPHCDA data on COVID-19 vaccination, as of April 16, 2021, a total of 1,081,548 eligible Nigerians have been vaccinated with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. This brings the proportion of those vaccinated to 53.8 percent.