The Federal Capital Territory Administration, (FCTA) may implement the National Vaccination Mandate to prevent people from going into strategic public space over noncompliance with the COVID-19 Vaccination.
The Secretary of FCTA Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr Abubakar Tafida, made this known during a news conference on Monday in Abuja.
“Regrettably, a lot of people are not bothered about going to get the vaccines.
”We have over 320 teams working within the FCT, providing vaccination but a lot of people are not receiving the vaccines.
“It has been proven that when you are fully vaccinated it prevents infection and even if one, it limits the severity of the virus.
”We may have to implement the National Vaccination Mandate, where people will be prevented from going into public spaces, offices or other strategic places if they don’t present evidence of vaccination.
”And this especially refers to our colleagues, the public servants and the rest,” Tafida said.
The secretary urged those who took their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and have forgotten or are reluctant to go for the second dose to do so.
It would be recalled that on Nov. 27, the federal government approved a vaccine mandate policy for all its employees.
The Federal Government also direct its staff from grade level 12 and below who have been working from home following outbreak of COVID-19 to resume.
According to Tafida, ”About three or four weeks ago, we noticed the rising number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 and subsequently, we concluded that we may be heading into the Fourth Wave of COVID-19 pandemic in FCT.
“The FCT recorded 84 cases as of Sunday and that takes us to the cumulative cases so far recorded in FCT since the first wave to about 24,861.
”And out of the number, 23,391 people have discharged with a cumulative death of 224.
”As it is now we have a total of 1,246 active cases. We have additional 13 cases in the past 24 hours. In terms of people or cases on admission we have a total of 105.
“92 are in the dome while 13 of them are at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada”.
Tafida disclosed that the secretariat had made adequate preparations to curb further spread of the virus in the terriory
”We are making plans and preparations for the expected new cases and we have adequate bed spaces for what we have forecasted and we make adequate arrangements for both consumables supplies and drugs.”
The secretary enjoined the public to continue to adhere to the nonpharmacologic preventive measures such as social distancing, wearing of facemask and regular hand washing or use of hand sanitizer.
He also implored all stakeholders, traditional and religious leaders as well as security agencies to encourage people to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols.
