As COVID-19 cases in Nigeria soar due to the discovery of Omicron and Delta Variants in Nigeria, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, has warned that unvaccinated people are likely to die from the pandemic.

The Executive Director of NPHCDA declared that COVID-19 is now mostly a disease of unvaccinated people.

Speaking after President Muhammadu Buhari received his booster shot in Abuja; he explained that vaccines have the ability to protect those vaccinated from “severe” forms of COVID-19.

Shuaib said data has shown that out of every ten people who died of COVID-19, eight are unvaccinated.

“The evidence is there. Over 8 million Nigerians have taken the vaccines safely. They are well; they are going about their normal businesses. And what we’re seeing from the data is that COVID-19 is now mostly a disease of the unvaccinated out of every 10 people that have died, the data shows that eight of them are unvaccinated.

“So there’s a greater likelihood of dying from COVID-19 if you’re unvaccinated. What Mr. President has done today is again to indicate to all Nigerians that federal government does everything to make sure that only safe and efficacious vaccines are brought into Nigeria and when they are brought into Nigeria.”

He said government has continued to double check to make sure that vaccines brought into the country are of high standards as set by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC.

He said: “When you go to any mass vaccination site, one thing that should be clear in your mind is that this vaccine that is going into your body is safe and is going to protect you against severe forms of COVID-19. It will also protect you from dying from COVID-19.”

On availability of vaccines, he said the country now has enough COVID-19 vaccines to get all citizens vaccinated.

“Now we have vaccines. A few months ago, we had a challenge of no vaccines because of the global supply shortage. Now we have more than enough vaccines to get all Nigerians vaccinated,” he added.

“So I urge all Nigerians to seize the opportunity and get vaccinated just like Mr. President has shown leadership.”

Speaking on booster doses, he said to get the booster shot, individuals should go to the nearest health facility or any vaccination centre, and with a vaccination card and they will be given the booster shots at no cost.

The Executive Director said: “We’re making the vaccines available all across the country. So you don’t have to go too far from where you live or from where you work to get the booster doses.”