TheCable

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) says there are currently no reports of severe side effects relating to the administration of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in the country.

Nigeria received its first batch of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on March 2.

Vaccination is ongoing across various states and the federal capital territory (FCT) — only Kogi is yet to take delivery of the vaccine.

There have been reports on the development of blood clots in some recipients of the vaccine, causing several European countries to discontinue its use.

The NPHCDA had, however, assured Nigerians on the safety of the doses, stating that there is evidence showing that the vaccine does not cause blood clots.

The agency had also said the batch supplied to the country is safe.

In a tweet on Monday, NPHCDA noted that no one who has received the shot in Nigeria has so far presented any “severe side effects”.

It, however, did not state if mild effects have been reported.

“FACT: No Nigerian so far has developed any known severe side effects following vaccination with AstraZeneca vaccine,” the tweet reads.

FACT: No Nigerian so far has developed any known severe side effects following vaccination with AstraZeneca vaccine 💉#YesToCOVID19Vaccine pic.twitter.com/N7KENJ01tk

— NPHCDA (@NphcdaNG) March 22, 2021

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On Monday, a trial conducted by experts from Columbia University and the University of Rochester in the United States of America showed that the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and 79 percent effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19.