By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has maintained that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is safe and should be taken by residents of the metropolis.
Mr Sanwo-Olu said this on Monday when he addressed newsmen at the Lagos House, Ikeja on Monday con the controversies trailing the use of the jabs.
Earlier this month, Nigeria received nearly 4 million doses of the vaccine. Each person would have to have two doses to be able to develop immunity from COVID-19.
Last Friday, the Governor had his first shot at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) Yaba, alongside his deputy, Mr Obafemi Hamzat as well as the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, health practitioners, frontline workers and journalists, among others.
However, there have been reports that the vaccine had negative side effects on some people, with severe headaches, high body temperature, weakness, amongst others.
In some European country, the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has been suspended because of reports of blood clot in some of the patients.
Also, South Africa suspended the use of the vaccine due to issues raised.
Despite all these, the Lagos State Governor said the vaccine is safe as he did not feel any side effects as claimed by some persons, describing the concerns raised as misinformation.
“I didn’t feel any side effects after taking the shot,” Mr Sanwo-Olu told journalists yesterday, saying there is nothing to worry about the vaccine and encouraged Lagosians, especially those on the frontlines, to come forward and get vaccinated.
“It has been three days since I was vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine and the deputy governor has also had his own shot. I can confirm to you that I felt no after effect at all. I didn’t have any headache, malaria or any symptom whatsoever. It was well-received.
“As I mentioned on Friday, I think all of the speculations that is going round is really unfounded. I have taken the vaccine and we have seen that Lagos has continued to vaccinate the frontline health workers.
“And so, let us use this medium again to inform our citizens well that the vaccines; the one we have, AstraZeneca, is safe and is of no negative consequence. And I for one do not have any. I have also asked around.
“So, there is nothing for us to get worried about. It is just to take it easy and let us encourage others that are on the frontlines to come forward and get vaccinated,” he added.
Adedapo Adesanya 
Aduragbemi Omiyale