Despite global injuries, deaths, FG insists on COVID-19 vaccine mandate for workers

Despite alarming global reports of vaccine injuries and deaths, the Federal Government of Nigeria says its workers will not access offices from December 1, 2021 unless they show proof of vaccination or negative Covid-19 PCR test results.

Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, disclosed this during a briefing on Wednesday, October 13. He however failed to comment on serious concerns being raised over the safety of the vaccine and reported cases of deaths of persons who died of Covid-19 complications despite being ‘fully’ vaccinated, in the country.

Also read: Bad news for those who took COVID vaccine, here is why

According to him, with effect from 1st December, 2021, Federal Government employees shall be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result done within 72 hours, to gain access to their offices, in all locations within Nigeria and Mission outside the country.

He said while the PSC prepares to escalate surveillance and other control activities, State governments and all Nigerians are also advised to increase their vigilance and take measures to moderate activities.

READ ALSO: Judge deals blow to COVID vaccine mandate for health workers

“The PSC wishes to put Nigerians on notice that two major religious festivities (Salah and Christmas) are approaching and we shall be experiencing increased passenger traffic in and out of the country.

This is even as statistics from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) shows that 3,142,971 tests carried out, Nigeria has recorded 208,153 cases out of which 195,939 recoveries were recorded, which shows there is over 94% recovery rate for COVID-19 cases in the country, and 2,756 deaths representing a fatality rate of 1.32%, and 9,461 active cases.

READ ALSO: Fully vaccinated people are super spreaders of COVID – Expert

In Africa, as at October 12, 2021, according to Africa CDC Covid-19 dashboard, out of the 8,402,139 confirmed cases, there are 7,770,156 recoveries representing 92.4% while 214,656 deaths representing 2.6% have occurred.
With less than 13,000 active cases of Covid-19 in Nigeria (208,000 cases with 195,000 recovered) since February 2020 when the index case of Covid-19 was registered in the country, it is safe to state that Covid-19 does not present itself as the greatest threat to public health; especially with just 2,700+ deaths in Nigeria. A vaccine mandate is therefore unscientific.

In U.S alone, a total of 778,685 people have reported the vaccine’s adverse effect, including a total 16.310 deaths.

Of the 7,437 U.S. deaths reported as of Oct. 1, 11% occurred within 24 hours of vaccination, 16% occurred within 48 hours of vaccination and 29% occurred in people who experienced an onset of symptoms within 48 hours of being vaccinated.

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It would be recalled that Governor Godwin Obaseki had also threatened that any resident who failed to get vaccinated would not be allowed to access worship centres, Banks and other public places in the state.

But a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt in August granted an Ex Parte order restraining the Governor from enforcing the order.

In September, barely weeks after some banks threatened to cut staff salary if they failed to get vaccinated for COVID-19, a staff of a new generation bank, reportedly died as a result of COVID-19 vaccine complications.

He was said to have received the vaccine alongside other staff members of his bank on September 10, but he became ill shortly afterward. He was transferred to the Central Hospital in Warri, where he died on September 22.

Also read: Fully vaccinated 74-year-old SAN, dies of COVID-19

Similarly, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Oladipupo Williams, was penultimate Sunday reported to have died of COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated (two jabs) with the Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine.

Oladipupo was the first child of late legal luminary, Chief Fredrick Rotimi Williams.

A Facebook post by Oladipupo’s son, Kunle, revealed that his father died at a private hospital in Lagos.

He wrote, “My father passed away this morning from COVID despite being double vaccinated with Oxford AstraZeneca.”