BY Samuel Akpan
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has approved the Johnson and Johnson single-dose COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Saturday.
Canadians to be vaccinated by September
Canada says every citizen who wants to be vaccinated will be able to do so by the end of September.
Justin Trudeau, Canadian prime minister, said this at a news conference on Friday.
He said Pfizer will begin delivering one million COVID-19 vaccine doses every week to the country between March 22 and May 10.
“That’s gonna make a big difference. Every dose makes a difference. Everyone who wants a vaccine in Canada will be able to get one by the end of September,” he said.
Trudeau added that AstraZeneca will also be delivering 20 million doses by the end of the year.
Tanzanian president in ‘good health’
Kassim Majaliwa, Tanzanian prime minister, says President John Magufuli is in good health and “working hard”.
The president was last seen in public on February 27.
Tundu Lissu, Tanzanian opposition leader, who left the country for Belgium after losing the 2020 election to Magufuli had said the president contracted COVID-19 and was flown to India for treatment.
However, Majaliwa denied that the president is sick, blaming the rumour on “outcome of hate”.
“Tanzanians should be at peace. Your president is around, healthy, working hard. To spread rumours that he is sick is just an outcome of hate,” Majaliwa said.
Magufuli had reportedly played down on the perils of COVID-19, saying God and remedies such as steam inhalation would protect citizens.
Tanzania stopped reporting COVID-19 data in May 2020, but WHO has repeatedly asked the government to be transparent in its handling of the pandemic.
Nigeria records 399 fresh infections — but more recoveries
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says the country recorded 399 COVID-19 cases within 24 hours on Friday.
The fresh infections were reported in 18 states including the federal capital territory (FCT).
The agency, however, said 1,000 recoveries were recorded on Friday — this includes 831 community recoveries in the FCT and 169 in Lagos state.
Eight persons were confirmed to have died of COVID-19 complications, bringing the total number of deaths to 2,009.
The country now has a total of 160,332 confirmed COVID-19 infections across 36 states and the FCT and 14,264 active cases.
WHO approves Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine for use
WHO on Friday, approved the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in all countries.
The development comes less than 24 hours after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) authorised the single-dose vaccine for use in the European Union.
The approval brings to three the number of vaccines that have received backing from WHO — the global organisation had approved the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines.
Speaking on the approval, Tedros Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO, said “every new, safe and effective tool against COVID-19 is another step closer to controlling the pandemic”.
“I urge governments and companies to live up to their commitments and to use all solutions at their disposal to ramp up production, so that these tools become truly global public goods, available and affordable to all, and a shared solution to the global crisis,” Ghebreyesus was quoted to have said.
WHO gives AstraZeneca vaccine vote of confidence
WHO says there is no reason to stop using AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Several countries, including Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Thailand and Bulgaria — have suspended administering the vaccine after some recipients reportedly developed blood clots.
The side effect was said to have started after a certain batch of the vaccine called ABV5300 was administered.
Margaret Harris, a spokesperson for WHO, said a review of the data on the vaccine proved it has caused no deaths.
She added that WHO’s vaccines advisory committee is currently reviewing the safety data of the vaccine.
“AstraZeneca is an excellent vaccine, as are the other vaccines that are being used,” Harris said.
“We’ve reviewed the data on deaths. There has been no death, to date, proven to have been caused by vaccination. Yes, we should continue using the AstraZeneca vaccine. We must always ensure that we look for any safety signals when we roll out vaccines, and we must review them. But there is no indication to not use it.”
European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Thursday the vaccine is not linked to an increased risk of blood clots.
COVID-19 IN NIGERIA
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