Dr. Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of Health, has stated that partial or full vaccination against the deadly COVID-19 is not a sufficient cause to abandon nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) as a preventative measure or a guarantee against infection.
News Agency of Nigeria
Ehanire made the remarks during the Presidential Steering Committee’s (PSC) national briefing on COVID-19 on Monday in Abuja.
“Nigeria has so far tested a total of 3,392,457 samples, of which 213,147 were confirmed positive for COVID-19, while active cases are 4,447 and cases discharged to date are 205,732.
”There have sadly been 2,968 COVID-19-related fatalities with a case fatality rate of 1.39 per cent.
“The present infection surge in certain European countries, who already had vaccination over 60 per cent, is proof that full vaccination is no reason to drop our guard, or a guarantee against infection,” Ehanire said.
In the week under review, bed occupancy in 86 isolation wards was 16.17 percent, and oxygen was readily accessible, mostly in cylinders, with oxygen concentrators as backup.
“There is no surge in demand. A review of oxygen situation in 125 treatment centres is ongoing, to also identify non-functional plants for repair,” he said.
Ehanire stated that the majority of patients admitted to isolation units (67%) had comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and other non-communicable illnesses (NCDs), which are established drivers of COVID-19 illness severity.
“The same finding has been made in some Eastern European countries where severe waves of COVID-19 are currently raging.
“Despite palpable fatigue among citizens on adherence to COVID-19 preventive protocols, I have hardly encountered any person who didn’t have a face mask.
”Oddly enough, they would leave their mask on their pocket or handbag and wear it on demand.
“Others wear it on their chin. The mask is not helpful anywhere except it is covering the mouth and nose.
”Global trends suggest that public health measures like masks and social distancing are still a very useful protection against infection,” he said.
The minister stated that the vaccines Nigeria administers to its citizens are safe and effective, urging all citizens to be vaccinated.
“It is commonplace in many foreign countries now that proof of COVID-19 vaccination is needed, in order to be admitted to restaurants, cinemas, nightclubs, and even to board aircraft on international flights.
”This trend is intensifying around the world and will, no doubt, begin to take root in Nigeria in due course.
“I will not be surprised if domestic Airlines start to demand vaccination cards, before boarding,”
”I advise that nobody should be left behind in vaccination, lest they face an embarrassing situation,” he said.
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