BY Samuel Akpan
The federal government says it will present a supplementary budget that will accommodate the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines to the national assembly in March. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Friday.
UNICEF ships 504,000 vaccine doses to Cote d’Ivoire
Cote d’Ivoire is expected to receive its first COVAX COVID-19 vaccine on Friday.
UNICEF says it shipped 504,000 doses to the country from COVAX facility.
The country is said to be the second African nation that will receive COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX programme — after a vaccine shipment to Ghana on Wednesday.
“On Friday 26 February 2021, Cote d’Ivoire will receive 504,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from the COVAX Facility”, a statement on the organisation’s website said.
“The vaccines and other equipment are being transported across the world by UNICEF as part of the efforts by the COVAX Facility to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.”
China denies subjecting US diplomats to anal test
China says it did not ask US diplomats to undergo anal COVID-19 test.
US media had reported that diplomats in China complained of being subjected to the procedure.
Some Chinese cities have introduced anal swabs on the basis that it is more effective than throat and nose swabs because the virus can linger longer in the digestive system.
Zhao Lijian, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, denied the allegation on Thursday, saying “China has never required US diplomatic staff stationed in China to conduct anal swab tests”.
Pfizer to commence trial of vaccine in children age five and 11
Pfizer has announced plans to start testing its COVID-19 vaccine in children between the age of five and 11.
Albert Bourla, chairman and CEO of Pfizer, on Thursday said the data on the demography will be available by the end of the year.
South Africa to vaccinate 1.1 million people before end of March
South Africa says it aims to vaccinate about 1.1 million people against COVID-19 by the end of March.
Zweli Mkhize, health minister, on Thursday said more than 32,000 health workers have been given the J&J shot.
On February 17, the country received its first batch of 80,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and it is expecting to get another 500,000 doses in the coming days.
According to John Hopkins University data, South Africa has recorded over 1.5 million cases of COVID-19 with 49,523 deaths.
FG to present supplementary budget for COVID-19 vaccines
Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, budget and national planning, says the federal government will present a supplementary budget to the national assembly for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.
Speaking on Thursday at the state house briefing in Abuja, the minister said relevant authorities, including the ministry of finance, health, and the budget office of the federation were currently working on the cost of the programme.
“There will be a supplementary budget, the first one will be in March but we will also have a mid-year review like we did last year of the budget,” she said.
“But what we have in the budget is not enough, so we are working with the health authorities to provide a plan that will be taken to the president for approval and to be taken to the national assembly as a supplementary budget specifically for COVID -19 vaccination.”
COVID-19 IN NIGERIA
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