Nigeria has successfully reached its ambitious goal of fully immunizing 70 per cent of its eligible population against the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a senior health official.
Dr Bassey Okposen, Director of Disease Control and Immunization in the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), confirmed this milestone in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Abuja.
NAN reports that Nigeria had set a target of fully vaccinating 70 per cent of its eligible population by December 2022.
Dr Okposen said that Nigeria’s vaccination campaign has surpassed expectations, demonstrating the nation’s determination to control the spread of the virus and protect its population from the devastating impacts of COVID-19.
He said that as of Oct. 1, 132,212,099 vaccine doses have been administered in the country, with 80 per cent of eligible persons receiving at least one dose and 17.5 million fully vaccinated persons receiving additional booster doses.
He said that six states have achieved 100 per cent vaccination coverage in the country. These states are Nasarawa, Jigawa, Osun, Kaduna, Kano and Adamawa.
He said that vaccinating 70 per cent of a country’s population against COVID-19 means that a significant portion of the population has received the required doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, which is often considered a crucial milestone in achieving herd immunity and controlling the spread of the virus within a population.
Herd immunity, also known as population immunity, occurs when a large proportion of a community becomes immune to a disease, either through vaccination or previous infection.
When a high percentage of the population is immune, it creates a barrier that prevents the virus from easily spreading from person to person.
This not only protects those who are vaccinated but also provides indirect protection to those who are unable to receive the vaccine due to medical conditions or other factors.
He said that by vaccinating 70 per cent of the population against COVID-19, a country greatly reduces the risk of widespread transmission, severe illness, and death caused by the virus
