Why did Buhari take his own COVID-19 vaccine on the right arm?

The vaccination of President Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday, was greeted with cynicism in some quarters.

In what appeared to be a move to lead by example and boost public confidence on the safety of the vaccine, Buhari alongside vice-president Yemi Osinbajo received doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at the presidential villa, Abuja.

Suhayb Sanusi Rafindadi, the president’s personal physician, administered the vaccine on Buhari, while the vice-president’s shot was administered by Nicolas Audiferren, his personal physician.

When photographs and videos showing Buhari and Osinbajo receiving the doses of the vaccine in their arms appeared on social media, they sparked reactions from many Nigerians, especially on the microblogging platform, Twitter.

One user appeared to suggest Buhari did not take the vaccine because he took the jab on his right arm while the vice-president took it on his left arm.

He tweeted: “Don’t mind those people jawe, Buhari receive his own shot on the right upper arm while Osinbajo receive his own on the left upper arm. Who are they deceiving ? Or it’s not the same vaccine they received?”

Don’t mind those people jawe, Buhari receive his own shot on the right upper arm while Osinbajo receive his own on the left upper arm.

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Who are they deceiving ? Or it’s not the same vaccine they received?

— Donwura (@FafunmiM) March 6, 2021

Another Twitter user @Rufson4 asked, “Please I need a clarification on this matter,  the site of the given covid-19 vaccine is upper left arm, why the service provider administer it on right upper arm?”

Please I need a clarification on this matter, the site of given covid-19 vaccine is upper left arm, why the service provider administer it on right upper arm? @BilkisuTambuwal @mousteebazza @Basheerbeebs @DSakkwato @Auwal_online @Engineer_Musty pic.twitter.com/0z2izAOscT

— Rufson (@Rufson4) March 6, 2021

But in his own comment, @bunmimakinwa wrote, “@MBuhari took #CovidVaccine I wonder why he chose the right arm. The left arm appears to be most favored by others. Anyways, taking vaccine this way is great for advocacy especially against anti-vaccine and anti-Covid-19 vaccines critics.”

@MBuhari took #CovidVaccine I wonder why he chose the right arm. 💁🏽‍♂️The left arm appears to be most favored by others. Anyways, taking vaccine this way is great for advocacy especially against anti-vaccine and anti-Covid-19 vaccines critics. #CovidVaccine #nigeria #AstraZeneca

— Bunmi Makinwa (@bunmimakinwa) March 6, 2021

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WHAT DO HEALTH AGENCIES SAY?

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a public health agency in the US, in a report on the administration of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, said the vaccine should be administered into the deltoid muscle of the arm.

Also, the World Health Organisation (WHO), in an interim guidance for the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine said the vaccine should be administered into the deltoid muscle. 

Where is the deltoid muscle located in the body? Deltoid muscle is located at the arm region, which forms the rounded contour of the human shoulder. It can be found in both arms — left and right.

WHAT DO MEDICAL EXPERTS SAY?

Medical experts say the president can decide what arm to receive the vaccine since it does not break any medical procedure for the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Auwal Musa, a medical doctor who is the coordinator of Sokoto state COVID-19 volunteer programme, told TheCable that patients have choices to make in what arm they want to take the vaccine, adding that the deltoid muscle, which is the target of the vaccination in the body is on both right and left arm.

Musa noted that all arms are appropriate for a vaccination that requires two doses, adding that one arm for the first dose and other arm for the second dose.

“There is tradition by healthcare providers to designate a particular arm for a vaccine. But the main idea is for the vaccine to get into the body system. The target is deltoid muscle, whether on the right or left arm,” Musa said.

“All arms are appropriate. For the vaccines that need two doses, arms can be interchanged. That is, one arm for the first dose and the other arm for the second dose.

“Patients always have choice and their choices must be respected at all times especially if is not interfere with the medical procedure or vaccine administration

“An arm may not be suitable especially if it has infection or any abnormality that can prevent absorption of the vaccine via the deltoid muscle. Sheer patient’s choice or preference is also a reason.”

Another medical expert, Japhet Olugbogi, chairman of the committee on COVID-19, Lagos chapter of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), said the left arm is the preferred arm to take the COVID-19 vaccine since it is the non-dominant arm for most people.

Olugbogi said it is advisable to take the COVID-19 vaccine on the non-dominant arm.

“Left for most people, that is the non-dominant arm, considering that it is required that people should take two doses of the COVID-19 vaccines at (what) interval? The interval for the one we have in Nigeria is between 28 days to 12 weeks,’’ Olugbogi said.

“It is advisable to take the  Covid vaccine on the non-dominant arm, which is left for most people but an individual can opt to take it on the right. Such individuals need to be educated to point this out to monitors during post implementation surveys. These surveys are often done to confirm reported cases of vaccinations and establish the veracity of the campaign.

“Non-dominant arm, which is left for most people because of uniformity and bcos of process monitoring and evaluation.”

Ross Goldberg, the president of President of the Arizona Medical Association in the US, was reported as saying  the arm in which the vaccine is injected does not necessarily make the difference.

He advised that if a patient is right-handed, the left arm can be used to take the vaccine to avoid any soreness that may be experienced in the region in which the vaccine was administered.

“I have not heard anything making a difference,  in relation to where a patient is injected. If you’re worried about it and your more dominant handed, yeah it doesn’t hurt to get it in the other arm, just in case,” he said. 

ANY ARM WILL DO!

Buhari or his personal physician may have made the choice to inject the vaccine on the right arm since it does not breach medical rules or procedure. 

More so, in some cultures, the right arm is preferred to the left.

An Islamic scholar told TheCable that vaccination aside, “Muslims prefer the use of the right over the left”.

“The right is always prioritised. There is nothing wrong, or evil, about the left, but in Muslim culture, the right is always prioritised. However, when the use of the right is not possible or convenient, the left can be used,” he said.

After some weeks, the president will still have to get a second jab to complete the vaccination. He can decide to take it on the left arm if he likes. It is his choice, apparently.