One dose not enough to keep COVID-19 away – Edo govt

Edo State government on Tuesday urged individuals who have taken one dose of the available COVID-19 vaccines to turn up to take the second dose so as to get full immunity against the increasing threats posed by the pandemic.

Osamwonyi Irowa, permanent secretary, Edo State ministry of health, who made the appeal during the state’s COVID-19 daily review update in Benin City, said some persons with partial vaccination are declining to receive the second dose, making it difficult to withstand the rising wave of the infection.

Irowa explained that there is a length of time for which those with partial vaccination are covered, and if the doses aren’t completed they would still be at high risk compared to those who are fully vaccinated.

“If you take one dose of the vaccine, it covers you for a certain period. It doesn’t mean you cannot have that infection, especially when that period of your coverage has expired and you have not taken the second dose. For you to have complete immunization you must complete the vaccination.

“Having started with the first dose, there is no need to go back because one shot doesn’t protect you as much as you get protected when you have the two shots. There is a percentage protection you get from each shots.

“So, we are appealing to those who have had their first AstraZeneca vaccine to come over to take their second dose. For Moderna, we have more than enough, and those who have taken their first shot should also come for their second doses in 28 days when they might have been due for the second shot.

Earlier, Ebomwonyi Osagie, state’s case management lead, said in the past 24 hours, it had collected more samples, confirmed 14 new cases and recorded four new deaths with three of them unvaccinated and one partially vaccinated.

Osagie noted that community transmission is driving up the cases with Oredo local government area leading the table across the state.