By Tobias Lengnan Dapam
The Federal Government has warned Nigerians to obey all COVID-19 protocols and curfew guidelines so as to avert an uncontrolled outbreak of the Coronavirus B.1.617.2 variant.
Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, who stated this in Abuja on Tuesday, during the weekly media briefing to update Nigerians on status of the COVID-19 vaccination said the Indian variant is dangerous.
Shuaib stressed that the COVID-19 vaccination remains the safest and most effective public health intervention to contain the pandemic.
“I want to encourage all Nigerians to remain vigilant. Each and every one of us must follow social distancing, mask wearing, and curfew guidelines.
“Significant concern remains about the threat posed by the Coronavirus B.1.617.2 variant, also known as the Indian variant, which is observed to be a highly contagious triple-mutant strain of the coronavirus.
“In England, cases of the variant have doubled in one week alone. It is very important that we take all the necessary precautions set out by the Government to prevent an uncontrolled outbreak here in Nigeria.”
Shuaib, revealed that thus far,
1,956,598 million targeted eligible Nigerians have been vaccinated with their first dose of the Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccine, with frontline workers constituting 66 percent, health workers 22 percent, and the elderly 12 percent.
He added that 73,465 Nigerians have received their 2nd dose of the Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccine nationwide.