The Federal Government of Nigeria has rescheduled the second stage of COVID-19 vaccination which was billed to be held on Tuesday.
The second phase was supposed to commence this week after the United States of America had granted Nigeria over four million doses of the Moderna vaccine.
However, in an unexpected twist, a spokesperson in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey, revealed on Sunday that the commencement of the exercise had been postponed due to “unforeseen circumstances.”
“A new date will be communicated, please,” the statement added.
Only about one percent of the population has been fully vaccinated, so far.
On Sunday, Nigeria recorded 471 fresh cases of the novel coronavirus as resident doctors across the country continue to strike over unpaid allowances.
The necessity for vaccination is very high due to the increased number of the Delta strain which is more virulent and infectious.
The new cases were reported on Sunday from 13 states, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Nigeria has recently seen an uptick in new cases of COVID-19 as fears of a third wave continues to loom.
To prepare for the surge in new cases, the government has advised Nigerians to adhere to health protocols such as wearing of masks and social distancing, especially in indoor settings.