The Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 (PSC) has said that in spite of the decline in global cases, more caution is needed rather than over-confidence.
This was as the Federal Government indicated a plan to involve the private sector in COVID-19 vaccination.
Chairman of PSC and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, stated this in Abuja, yesterday, warning that coronavirus is still very much around and remains virulent and deadly. He, therefore, stressed the need for caution and adherence to non-pharmaceutical measures, vaccination and protocols on self-isolation.
Mustapha said significant progress is still being made on vaccines and that 3.5 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine are being expected from the U.S. government this month while about four million doses of AstraZeneca are expected early next month.
He revealed that Nigeria will be receiving over one million doses of J&J shipments on a monthly basis and that the PSC is committed to accessing enough vaccines for the 70 per cent eligible persons in the country in record time.
He said: “The PSC has taken note of the challenges raised by travellers that visit the National International Travel Portal in compliance with travel protocols. It has similarly noted with dismay, fraudulent activities perpetrated at our international airports by on-duty staff, who extort money from those who equally wish to evade quarantine.
“The authorities are conducting a necessary investigation into various reports received. We encourage the people to come out and take the vaccine as well as take the responsibility to mobilise families and communities to get vaccinated. Remember, ‘No one is safe until everyone is safe’.”
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, observed that a lot of work needs to be done for Nigeria to reach its target goal of vaccinating at least 70 per cent of its eligible population.
