COVID-19 vaccine’ll not be mandatory in Nigeria —Minister

 

The Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora, has said COVID-19 vaccination will not be mandatory in Nigeria, adding that nobody will be forced to take any vaccine.

 

Nigeria yesterday received nearly four million doses of COVID-19 vaccines shipped via the COVAX Facility, a partnership between CEPI, Gavi, UNICEF and WHO.

 

Appearing on Arise News to answer questions on the vaccines, Mamora was asked if vaccination would be mandatory in Nigeria.

“Nothing will be made mandatory. It’s optional. The choice is yours. Nobody will be forced to take any vaccine,” he said.

 

When asked if it might become mandatory further down the line, Mamora said, “If that happens, it would not be a decision of Nigeria.”

 

He said that just as one can’t travel to some countries without having the Yellow Card certificate, countries might have to start demanding a COVID-19 vaccination certificate before allowing outsiders in.

 

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He said Nigeria may be influenced by a demand by countries for a certificate of vaccination, adding that “it may just be something that will become global.”

 

“So, it may come to that”, he said.

 

“If you like, call it enlightened self-interest, why should I allow you to bring a deadly virus into the country?”