In order to boost public confidence and also encourage Nigerians to take the covid-19 vaccine, the president Muhammad Buhari and the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo too the their vaccine during the weekend which has also created a lot of controversies among some Nigerians on social media.
One user appeared to suggest Buhari did not take the vaccine because he took the jab on his right arm, while the vice-president took it on his left arm.
He tweeted: “Don’t mind those people jawe, Buhari receive his own shot on the right upper arm while Osinbajo receive his own on the left upper arm. Who are they deceiving ? Or it’s not the same vaccine they received?”
Another Twitter user @Rufson4 asked, “Please I need a clarification on this matter, the site of the given covid-19 vaccine is upper left arm, why the service provider administer it on right upper arm?”
But medical experts say the president can decide what arm to receive the vaccine since it does not break any medical procedure for the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Auwal Musa, a medical doctor who is the coordinator of Sokoto state COVID-19 volunteer programme, told our correspondent that patients have choices to make in what arm they want to take the vaccine, adding that the deltoid muscle, which is the target of the vaccination in the body is on both right and left arm.
Musa noted that all arms are appropriate for a vaccination that requires two doses, adding that one arm for the first dose and other arm for the second dose.
“There is tradition by healthcare providers to designate a particular arm for a vaccine. But the main idea is for the vaccine to get into the body system. The target is deltoid muscle, whether on the right or left arm,” Musa said.
“All arms are appropriate. For the vaccines that need two doses, arms can be interchanged. That is, one arm for the first dose and the other arm for the second dose.
“Patients always have choice and their choices must be respected at all times especially if is not interfere with the medical procedure or vaccine administration
“An arm may not be suitable especially if it has infection or any abnormality that can prevent absorption of the vaccine via the deltoid muscle. Sheer patient’s choice or preference is also a reason.”
Another medical expert, Japhet Olugbogi, chairman of the committee on COVID-19, Lagos chapter of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), agreed with Musa, adding that the left arm is the appropriate arm to take the COVID-19 vaccine since it is the non-dominant arm for most people.
Olugbogi said it is advisable to take the COVID-19 vaccine on the non-dominant arm.
“Left for most people, that is the non-dominant arm, considering that it is required that people should take two doses of the COVID-19 vaccines at (what) interval? The interval for the one we have in Nigeria is between 28 days to 12 weeks,’’ Olugbogi said.
“It is advisable to take the Covid vaccine on the non-dominant arm, which is left for most people but an individual can opt to take it on the right. Such individuals need to be educated to point this out to monitors during post implementation surveys. These surveys are often done to confirm reported cases of vaccinations and establish the veracity of the campaign.
“Non-dominant arm, which is left for most people because of uniformity and bcos of process monitoring and evaluation.”
Ross Goldberg, the president of President of the Arizona Medical Association in the US, was reported as saying the arm in which the vaccine is injected does not necessarily make the difference.
He advised that if a patient is right-handed, the left arm can be used to take the vaccine to avoid any soreness that may be experienced in the region in which the vaccine was administered.
“I have not heard anything making a difference, in relation to where a patient is injected. If you’re worried about it and your more dominant handed, yeah it doesn’t hurt to get it in the other arm, just in case,” he said.
ANY ARM WILL DO!
Buhari or his personal physician may have made the choice to inject the vaccine on the right arm since it did not breach medical procedure.
After some weeks, the president will still have to get the second dose of the vaccine to complete the vaccination. He can decide to inject it on the left arm if he likes. It is his choice, apparently.
