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Ahead of the December 1 deadline for the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal civil servants, the Federal Government has warned employees who love their jobs to go and get vaccinated.
Despite criticisms that have trailed the directive, which was first announced in September, the Federal Government, yesterday, insisted that its decision was in the best interest of Nigerians.
Speaking during the COVID-19 vaccination update yesterday, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, observed that the COVID-19 vaccine mandate has become a global phenomenon and Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind in the fight against the pandemic.
He said: “There’s a deadline already set and we are hoping that it will encourage those civil servants who love their jobs and are yet to take the COVID-19 vaccine to take the jab for their own good. The reason is that there’s evidence that supports the fact that if you are fully vaccinated, the effect of COVID-19 won’t be much on you. But that is not the same with unvaccinated people. There are higher chances of survival if a fully vaccinated person comes down with COVID-19.
“Evidently, most countries now insist on presenting evidence of full vaccination before someone is being allowed into public places.”
He, thus, confirmed the availability of sufficient COVID-19 vaccine and advised unvaccinated persons to take advantage of that and get immunised against coronavirus.
Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, said Nigeria has met the conditions given to it by WHO, adding that Maturity Level Three is a compulsory status for any country that wants to venture into vaccine production and other activities around that.
The NAFDAC boss stated that relevant infrastructure and procurements have been provided to support the desired objective. “We have expanded our drugs laboratory in Yaba, and our vaccine laboratory is also being built in Oshodi, both in Lagos, and it will be completed soon.”
