Only Pfizer vaccine to be administered as booster shots, says FG

The federal government says it’s only the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine that is eligible for use as booster shots.

On Friday, the federal government had approved booster shots for Nigerians that have completed two doses of AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer BioNTech or one dose of Johnson & Johnson.

The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) had said eligible Nigerians should visit health centres and mass vaccination sites from December 10 to get their booster dose.

Speaking on Thursday at the flag-off of the mass vaccination of refugees, migrants and internally displaced persons (IDPs), Faisal Shuaib, executive director of NPHCDA, said the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine has been approved as booster shots.

“Following the detection of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Nigeria, the federal government reviewed the country’s vaccination programme and resolved to introduce the booster dose using the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine across the country,” he said.

Giving further clarification, Yanda Muhammad, NPHCDA spokesman, told TheCable that the Pfizer vaccine is the only vaccine recommenced by the federal government as a booster dose.

He said those who have received complete doses of other brands of the COVID-19 vaccine can take the Pfizer vaccine as a booster shot.

“Pfizer vaccine is the only vaccine recommended for booster vaccination regardless of previous brands of vaccines taken,” he said.