AstraZeneca Vaccine Has No Known Side Effects, Says FCTA

By Olawale Ajimotokan

The Federal Capital Territory Primary Healthcare Board has urged residents to ignore conspiracy theories and fake news bandied on social media about the side effects from the use of AstraZeneca Vaccine for COVID-19 in the territory.

The Acting Executive Secretary, FCT Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Nda-Eyo Iwot disclosed this while monitoring the vaccination of FCT lawmakers.

Iwot stated that two of the five cases of persons developing acute side effects being bandied around are not directly linked to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine.

He said over 42,000 residents of the FCT have received their first shot of the COVID-19 vaccines since the roll out last month.

While commending the lawmakers for publicly taking the vaccine, FCT Permanent-Secretary, Mr. Adesola Olusade said the move will not just validate the efficacy and safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine, but also boost public confidence in the exercise.

He however said government will not make it compulsory for Nigerians to take the jab.

Speaking to journalists after receiving the jab, Senator Phillip Aduda commended the efforts of the FCT Administration to curbing the spread of the pandemic.

Aduda, who led other FCT lawmakers, including Hon. Micha Jiba and Hon Hassan Usman Sokodabo to get their jabs, said the decline in the number of positive cases was an indication that the FCT Administration was getting it right.
He said taking the vaccine jab would convince their supporters that the vaccine is safe.

“We members of the National Assembly, our families and domestic staff are here to be vaccinated. As a leader, I should be able to convince the people that this is safe,” Aduda said.