Don counsels FG against forced COVID-19 vaccination on Nigerians
A Professor of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Tatfeng Mirabeau, has said that the COVID-19 vaccine should not be forced on any Nigerian.
Mirabeau is of the Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State.
He expressed this view in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Ibadan, Oyo State, while stressing the need for the government to be transparent and give the right information about the vaccines to the citizenry.
The don said this would enable people make informed decisions as to whether to take the jab or not, especially given the emerging concerns raised about the rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccines all over the world.
According to him, the accelerated process of COVID-19 development failed within the context of the definition of a traditional vaccine, thereby, “raising many unanswered questions”.
“Vaccines, in general, are considered the most economical healthcare interventions.
“However, the COVID-19 vaccines have been developed rapidly compared to traditional vaccines and are approved through Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) worldwide.
“Classical vaccines were designed to take 10 years to develop, but the Pfizer-BioNTech, Oxford/AstraZenca and Moderna Vaccines did it in under one year.
“These vaccines have failed to fall within the context of a vaccine, traditionally,” he said.
He noted that in order to consider the COVID-19 vaccines in circulation as safe and effective, some questions must be answered truthfully.
“There are questions begging for answers regarding these vaccines, including why nations were compelled to sign indemnification certificates.
“What are the measures in place to track, report and manage complications that may arise as a result of vaccination in Nigeria?
“Why the trace for COVID-19 vaccination development when much more fatal diseases such as Ebola, HIV, tuberculosis and malaria are plaguing sub-Saharan Africa with no hope for a successful vaccine trials?
“Who really benefits from COVID-19 vaccinations?
“The federal government should answer these questions and once the public is truthfully educated about the vaccine, then they should have a choice as to whether or not they want to take it,” he said.
Mirabeau also said that the methods of the development of COVID-19 disadvantages should also be carefully considered.
“Some disadvantages of these mRNA or Adenovirus-based vaccines include inability of the vaccine to produce strong immune response, the vaccine may persist in the host body for a long time and increase the possibility of a mutation.
“The immune system may also be unable to contain the slow replication of the viral vector.
“Blood coagulation and severe allergies have been reported among those inoculated with the AstraZenca vaccine, which is an Adenovirus-based vaccine.
“Moreover, some vaccine associated fatalities have been recorded across the globe, and investigations are still ongoing,” he said.
Similarly, the don said the frontrunners in the COVID-19 vaccines do not guarantee absolute protection against the virus.
“Vaccines are developed to train the immune system against a pathogen and create antibodies for future infections.
“However, due to minimal testing, vaccine effects on transmission are currently unclear. As of now there is no correlate of protection for SARS-COV-2 that has been established.
“No existing vaccine has been shown to be effective against infection with any beta coronavirus, the family that includes SARS-COV-2, which causes COVID-19.
“The decision to receive vaccine is yours and yours alone. However, I hope you are better informed and equipped for that decision.
“Africans must wake up from their slumber, we must strive to find “African solutions” to African problems,” he said.
NAN recalls that the Federal Government had on March 2 received 3.94 million doses of the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine under the international COVAX facility, with hopes of taking delivery of over 80 million doses of vaccines this year.
The federal government considers the COVID-19 vaccine as a key element in its strategy of reaching herd immunity and a critical tool needed to stamp out the deadly virus.
