COVID-19 vaccine trains the body immune system to create antibodies.

Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib made this known in a chat with NAN.

Shuaib said vaccines help the body to make antibodies that serve as proteins that fight off infections and diseases.

He explained that if someone is vaccinated and comes in contact with a bacteria/virus that cause diseases, the system will recognise it and give some level of protection.

“The COVID-19 vaccination offers partial protection within two weeks of the first dose.

“This is why it is recommended that all doses of the vaccine are taken for longer-term protection against the virus”, he said.

The spike protein in the COVID-19 vaccine allows it to enter the human cells and guard the body, the NPHCDA boss added.

“This means that if you choose to take a vaccine, you are less likely to get severely sick if you encounter the virus,” he said.

Shuaib assured that the vaccines do not contain a live virus and cannot cause disease.

As of July 4, about 23,627,968 eligible persons across the country had been fully vaccinated.

A total of 11,948,229 of the figure have been partially vaccinated in 36 states and the FCT.