Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of Health has disclosed that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has a mild side effect.

Ehanire explained that those vaccinated may experience “small pain” in the area it was injected.

He disclosed this after the vaccination of President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo at the State House, yesterday.

Ehanire, however, stated that the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be painless.

He said: “The process itself is simple. We are using a narrow gauge syringe, which will be very painless and it is a small quantity that is injected into the muscle of your upper arm.

“The after effects, as we know so far, are mild. There can be a small pain in the area where it was injected.”

Meanwhile, Buhari after receiving the vaccine, had urged Nigerians to do the same.

The President had stressed that the COVID-19 vaccine was safe.

The vaccine was administered on Buhari and Osinbajo in the presence of members of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, senior government officials and journalists.

The Personal Physician to the President, Dr Sanusi Raafindadi administered the first vaccine to him while that of the Vice President was done by his Personal Physician, Dr Nicholas Audifferen.