COVID-19: We’ve Strict Travel Protocols Because We Want to Protect Nigerians, Says Lai Mohammed
- The Nigerian government says it is doing all within its powers to protect the citizenry from coronavirus
- The government's spokesman and chief information officer, Alhaji Lai Mohammed made this known in an interview
- The minister of information made it clear that the unbending travel arrangement is to limit the spread of the virus within the Nigerian borders
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FCT, Abuja - The federal government says its strict travel protocols are put in place to protect Nigerians from being infected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Punch newspaper reports that the minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made this known while speaking to a news agency in Abuja on Wednesday, August 11.
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COVID-19 protocols for Nigeria international travel
Alhaji Mohammed said Nigeria had been tagged as a very strict country in terms of travel protocols, explaining that the stand of the government was to protect its people against the spread of the virus.
His words:
“We have been accused that our rules are being stringent. We say no. We are not being tough for toughness' sake. We are being tough because that is what science demands. We are tough because we want to protect our people.
“This is why you will see that the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) has designated and ranked different parts of the globe where the Delta variant is prevalent or the very high risk of contracting COVID-19.
“We have labelled them restricted countries. As of today, we have only four of such; South Africa, India, Brazil, and Turkey. And there are strict travel protocols around these countries because we want to prevent and protect our people.”
Plans for local vaccines in Nigeria in top gear
Meanwhile, ThisDay newspaper reports that the federal government has plans to commence local manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines in the next 12 months.
The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the agency has commenced clinical trials on three local herbal medicinal products for the treatment of the virus.
Adeyeye said the federal government was particularly worried about current challenges posed by an inadequate supply of vaccines to take care of millions of Nigerians.
Recall that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos recently confirmed that the state has been recording a daily average of six deaths at its isolation centres in the last week.
Governor Sanwo-Olu lamented that 4,300 confirmed cases were recorded in July alone and 352 admissions into Lagos isolation facilities.
He also said the state has recorded on average six deaths per day in the last few weeks.
On Wednesday, July 14, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) confirmed what appears to be the third wave of COVID-19 on its campus as some students were said to have been infected.
In a statement released by its spokesman, Nonye Oguama, UNILAG said there is an increased number of patients at the University of Lagos Medical Centre showing symptoms of the virus.
The school said it will address the issue according to stipulated guidelines of the federal and state governments.
Source: Legit.ng
