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By Akpan David, Calabar
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised the people of Cross River State not to be lukewarm towards taking the vaccine jabs in the ongoing fight against the second and third wave of COVID-19 Delta variant.
A representative from WHO, Dr. Pella Umar gave the advice in Calabar when the Cross River State government took delivery of 105, 000 doses of Mordena and 11, 000 Astrazeneca doses.
He commended the zeal of the state in fighting the virus which ensured it recorded 117% coverage during the first round.
He strongly encouraged all to embrace the vaccination so as to boost the herd immunity of the entire population by at least 95%.
Meanwhile, the State government has flagged off the second phase of the vaccination against the coronavirus pandemic.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Betta Edu alongside the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Janet Ekpenyong did the flagging off.
Speaking during the excercise Dr. Ekpenyong said 105, 000 doses of Mordena and 11, 000 AstraZeneca doses would be used to vaccinate no fewer than 120,000 persons.
She called on the people to come forward for the excercise to avoid mutation of the virus.
“The COVID-19 keeps mutating and has caused a lot of havoc globally so this underscores the need to ensure people are vaccinated.
“We have 105, 000 doses of Mordena for people coming for the vaccination for the first time and 11,000 Astrazeneca vaccines for people coming for the second dose.
“Much is expected of us to get almost 120,000 people vaccinated and we are poised to actualised this”, she said.
She thanked the health workers in the state for ensuring that the state emerged the best state saying they want to maintain that position during this exercise.
The State Commissioner for Health commended the governor for providing support as well as the health workers for ensuring the state achieve 117% coverage of the target population during the last exercise.
She advised residents to come out for vaccination and not take the pandemic as a joke.
She tasked residents not to take chances or gamble with their lives because the number of cases is rising.
“Cross Riverians should just come out enmasse and get vaccinated as we are presently in the 3rd wave of the pandemic in the state.
“The number of confirmed cases through the PCR is rising so it’s important people come out for vaccination immediately.
