Omicron, not in Nigeria. FG Insists…. Advises Nigerians to get Vaccinated
Amid mounting fears over the covid-19 new variant, Omicron, The Director General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Dr. Ifedayo Morayo Adetifa, says that the new strain is not in Nigeria.
Dr. Adetifa announced this at the briefing of the Presidential Steering Committee on Covid-19 in Abuja.
He said, “I do not encourage citizens to speculate. What I encourage us to do is to focus on what we actually know. And what we do know so far, given the genomic surveillance so far, is that we do not have a case confirmed in Nigeria at the moment.’’
Adetifa however cautioned that there are “pipeline of samples that are in process, whose results could change Nigeria’s present Omicron-free status.
On reaction to Canada’s detection of Omicron on two persons with recent history travel from Abuja, the DG clarified that there were no direct flights from Nigeria and Canada. Therefore, the committee is still waiting on Canadian government for more information on the travellers.
Emphasizing on the need to be vaccinated, chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee, Boss Mustafa, noted that the developments around the world, people would not be able to travel without their verified vaccination cards.
Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee
He further stated that the Vaccine Mandate deadline for all federal public servants would take effect from Wednesday 1st Dec, 2021, and encouraged every federal worker and all Nigerians to get vaccinated.
The Omicron variant was announced on November 25, 2021, from a laboratory in South Africa.
