COVID-19: Rivers says 3% vaccinated out of 75% target

Speaking during an interview, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, the state’s chief immunisation officer, Dr. Joseph Orang, noted that the elite class largely made up the three per cent.

He said: “Currently, in Rivers State, we have not vaccinated more than 3 per cent of our population out of the 75 per cent target.

“So the gap is quite wide between three per cent and 75 per cent. People are still falling sick, people are dying from the disease whether we believe it or not and we need to vaccinate up to 75 per cent at least to put a stop to the spread of the disease.”

Orang disclosed that the elite, who vaccinate do so because they need it to travel out, noting that people in the rural areas hardly get vaccinated.

“We have seen some levels of compliance but to be sincere, it is more like a compelled compliance because some people who want to travel out must have themselves vaccinated before embarking on the travel. So those are the high levels of persons actually seen coming into the center.”

According to him, the common person on the street feels reluctant to get inoculated due to some myths that hover around COVID-19.

“There are still myths that people are believing and attach to religious activities and all that and so we are trying to see how can convince those with myth issues,” he added.

He urged residents of the state, who have not done their vaccination, to look for the nearest vaccination point and get vaccinated as appropriate measures have been made by he board.

“We have provided this vaccination across this festive period so people can have opportunities to get themselves vaccinated and get protected against this threatening disease.

“Social mobilisation activities are going on, state has taken up the huge responsibility of empowering town announcers in local settings and stakeholders meeting in all the settings so that we will be able to convince more people to get vaccinated,” he said.