Stop issuing COVID cards to unvaccinated people, Kwara warns health officials

Kwara state government has warned health officials against giving COVID cards to unvaccinated people.

Nusirat Elelu, executive secretary, Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, said this on Friday during a news conference at the University of Ilorin.

Elelu condemned the way cards are acquired by persons who have no interest in getting vaccinated.

“Some people want to have the cards endorsed without actually getting vaccinated. This is wrong,” she said.

“All cards have barcodes captured in a database and if you obtain an illegal card, chances are that the card will not be recognised.

“This will happen when you travel because it won’t be within the accredited database of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency.”

She asked members of the public to report any health official who engages in the act.

Speaking on the side effects of the vaccine, she explained that it can cause mild and short-term reactions but had been declared safe and approved by NAFDAC and World Health Organisation (WHO).

“All COVID-19 vaccines underwent rigorous testing in clinical trials to prove that they meet internationally agreed benchmarks for safety and effectiveness,” she said.

“They include headache or inflammation at the injection site that usually goes away within a few days on their own.”

She advised the public to visit a healthcare facility if such side effects persist after 48 hours.