As the Federal Government confirmed delivery of four million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from the United States, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has warned residents that the Moderna vaccine cannot be mixed with AstraZeneca jab.
Sanwo-Olu made this clarification on Monday while briefing residents on worrying trends of the third wave of the pandemic in Lagos State.
The Governor who raised concern in the rise of Coronavirus (COVID-19)-related fatalities recorded believed Lagos would soon be receiving a sizeable allocation of the Moderna vaccine being the epicentre of the pandemic, adding that only those yet to receive any COVID-19 vaccine would get the Moderna jab when the distribution starts.
He also confirmed that as the third wave thickens, Lagos had been recording a daily average of six deaths at its isolation centres in the last one week.
He disclosed that there had been an eight-fold increase in infection rate in Lagos, resulting in 4,300 confirmed cases in July alone, while 352 patients were admitted into the State-run isolation facilities.
The situation, Sanwo-Olu said, called for improved vigilance and personal responsibility, urging residents to reactivate the preventive protocols to break the cycle of infection currently ravaging the state.
He said: “From the beginning of July, we started to experience an increase in the number of daily confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lagos, with the positivity rate going to seven per cent at the end of July.
“As at August 1, the positivity rate rose to 8.9 per cent, which is an eight-fold increase over the recorded figure a month ago. This has resulted in 4,300 confirmed cases in July alone and 352 admissions into our isolation facilities. The situation at hand should rightly alarm all of us.
“Let me make it clear that this necessary sense of alarm should not be responded to with panic, but instead with firm resolve and determination to reverse the trend. We must dig deep into what we have learnt from the previous waves, as well as summon the will to do everything necessary in bringing down the numbers to eventually defeat the virus once and for all. We have done it before and we can do it again.”
The Governor also expressed concern on the low vaccination rate in the state, pointing out that 161,040 out of the 404,414 residents who got the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine administered in March did not return for their second doses. He put the vaccination rate in Lagos as one per cent, which is far below the threshold set by the State to achieve herd immunity.
He said: “The Moderna vaccine cannot be mixed with AstraZeneca. For people who have already taken the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, they cannot mix it with the Moderna vaccine that has just been received. We are still expecting a second allocation of AstraZeneca vaccine before the end of August to vaccinate those who are yet to get the second shots. The distribution strategy would be based on appointment to avoid the exercise becoming a super spreader.”
Sanwo-Olu further said all existing rules and guidelines on social and public gatherings remained in place and must be obeyed.
He directed public and private establishments, entertainment spots and worship centres to continue providing sanitising materials and ensures no person is allowed into their premises without the use of face masks.
