Nigeria approves AstraZeneca vaccines for emergency use

Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has granted approval for the emergency use of AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccines in the West African nation.

The recommendation was based on rigorous scientific considerations, NAFDAC said in a statement on Thursday.

The review of the shot’s efficacy was done after receiving the “vaccine dossier” from Serum Institute of India on February 10, 2021.

“COVISHIELD was found safe and well-tolerated in adults above 18 years of age,” the agency said.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said it got the dossier of the vaccine a week ago, and its safety committee went to work immediately to evaluate its safety and efficacy for Nigerians.

The vaccine, which is a leading choice for the developing world, was recently approved by the World Health Organisation for emergency use.

Last week, Africa’s viral epicenter, South Africa, jettisoned the use of the vaccine after tests showed the shot offered less protection against mild infection caused by the new strain that was first identified in the country and has since spread across southern Africa and elsewhere