Buhari, Osinbajo COVID-19 vaccination shown live on TV

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Saturday received the COVID-19 vaccine publicly at the Presidential Villa.

The event was shown on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) live and a few other national TV stations.

This came a day after the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria four health workers receiving the jabs during a ceremony at the National Hospital, Abuja.

Buhari was vaccinated at 11.51am, while Osinbajo took his about six minutes later.

The process on Saturday began with e-registration of the President and the Vice President and the filling out of their vaccination cards by the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Faisal Shuaib.

Chief Personal Physician to the President, Dr Suhayb Rafindadi Sanusi, administered the vaccine on the President.

He was later presented with the e-vaccination card by Dr Shuaib.

Osinbajo was vaccinated by his personal physician, Dr Nicholas Audifferen, and presented with the e-vaccination card by Shuaib at 11.59am.

Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said the jab was painless, a narrow gauge syringe was used with a small quantity injected in the upper arm.

According to him, the after-effects are mild and little discomfort follows in the area injected.

Other personalities present at the brief ceremony were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; and the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.

On Friday, Dr Cyprian Ngong, a family physician, became the first Nigerian citizen to be inoculated locally against the coronavirus when he received his shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine recently made available to the federal government.

He was joined by Dr Nuru Sambodeen another Family Physician; Mrs Eragbai Faith, Chief Nursing Officer at the National Hospital, and Dr Ayinde Abdusamad Joseph.

Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and SGF, Mustapha, said the roll-out followed the approval given by the National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration, after carrying out the necessary due diligence on the safety and efficacy of the Oxford-AstraZeneca product.

He said all Nigerians eligible to be vaccinated would get their shots.

He explained that the vaccination started with health workers because they are on the frontline of the national response to the virus.

Mustapha therefore appealed for patience from all citizens, warning against patronising unauthorised agents for the vaccines.