Why COVID-19 Variants Have Continued to Emerge, FG Reveals, Plans to Integrate Childhood Immunisation
- COVID-19 vaccination would now be integrtaed into childhood immunisation in various primary health care services across the country
- This disclosure was made by the executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency Faisal Shuaib
- Shuaib said that the reason for the emergence of COVID-19 variants can be attributed to a large proportion of the eligible population that are yet to be vaccinated
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The Nigerian government has called on citizens to endeavour they utilise the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination campaign across the country.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, January 25, the executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib, said the holiday season came with a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases.
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Shuaib said several unvaccinated individuals were migrating from the cities to the rural areas and back to the cities.
He said:
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"Globally, we saw the emergence of new variants such as IHU variant in France which is said to have 46 mutations, Deltacron in Cyprus and the Omicron variant still being highly infectious with a BA.2 subvariant rapidly spreading.
"More of our citizens were coming down with the infection. Luckily for our vaccinated population, those who came down with the COVID-19 infection had mild symptoms which they managed at home due to the immunity the vaccination provided them."
"If they were not vaccinated, we cannot predict how these cases would have turned out. Vaccination prevents you from severe disease, hospitalization and death."
Shuaib added that the reason for the emergence of these variants is because there is still a large proportion of the eligible population are yet to be vaccinated.
According to the NPHCDA boss, this gives the virus time to mutate and fight back.
He said:
"It is important that we protect ourselves and our loved ones by getting the jab. Our vaccination exercise was expanded to enable all eligible persons to have easier access.
"All vaccination sites are open to eligible persons, 18 years and above for first, second and booster doses. We call on Nigerians to avail themselves of this opportunity in the ongoing mass vaccination exercise to get vaccinated against COVID-19."
Integration of childhood immunisation across Nigeria
Continuing with his address, Shuaib said that the federal government is planning to integrate childhood immunisation into its ongoing COVID-19 campaign train.
Shuaib said that in this phase of COVID-19 mass vaccination, the campaign would be integrated with childhood immunization and other primary health care services.
He said:
"What this simply means is that alongside the COVID-19 vaccines, childhood vaccines will also be available at COVID-19 vaccination sites.
"Consequently, parents or guardians with children aged zero to 23 months are urged to take them along to the vaccination sites."
Unvaccinated Abuja workers, visitors stranded as FCTA takes strict action
Unvaccinated federal government workers have been prevented from going into their offices across the Federal Capital Territory.
The incident which occurred on Monday, January 17, was enforced by Ikharo Attah the senior special assistant on monitoring, inspection and enforcement to the FCT minister.
Attah said he was working in tandem with the provisions of the directive given by the FCTA that all workers must be vaccinated by January 17.
COVID-19: New advisory for schools as NCDC puts benchmark on body temperature for students, teachers
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had earlier issued a new directive for teachers and students alike in schools across the nation.
The new directive has mandated school administrators to prevent teachers and students a high body temperature from accessing the school premises.
In the directive, surfaces must be cleaned twice a day and during break periods to minimise the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Source: Legit.ng
