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Tag: COVID-19

  • FG convenes special National Council on Health meeting

    FG convenes special National Council on Health meeting

    The Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), has convened a special National Council on Health (NCH) meeting, where all State Commissioners of Health snd other stakeholders in the health sector will review the gains and lessons learnt from COVID-19 management, towards building a more resilient health sector in Nigeria.

    At the opening of a two-day NCH meeting on Thursday, in Abuja, the Minister for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said that Nigerians must remain alert as new variants of the virus which are more contagious and virulent, power new waves of infections.

    The 2021 NCH theme : “The Journey to Attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Applying Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic Towards Building A Resilient National Health System”.

    The 2014 National Health Act recognizes the NCH as the highest policy-making body within Nigerian health sector.

    The responsibilities of the NCH include the protection, promotion, improvement and maintenance of the health of the citizens of Nigeria and the formulation of policies.

    The Council is also tasked with ensuring the delivery of basic health services to the people of Nigeria.

    “Just in the last few days we have heard of the new ‘omicron’ variant, supposedly emerging from southern Africa, which has been labelled a variant of concern, and starting a new round of drastic measures like restrictions of flights and movement likely to hurt economic activities of countries.

    “And so, whether it’s a COVID-19 variant or a new attack, we must strengthen our health security architecture to ensure we are prepared at all times to detect, and respond, in the interest of the health of our population,” he explained.

    Ehanire noted that the end term of the SDGs was barely nine years away and targets of the health-related SGDs, especially SDG 3 were still far from being attained.

    He stated that the National Strategic Health Development Plan(2), 2018-2022, providing the Medium-term health sector roadmap to attain the goals and objectives of the National policy and edge closer to the SDG targets was completing its life cycle.

    “We need to take stock and ensure the succeeding plan addresses emerging needs in a post pandemic era. While, chances of meeting targets may now seem slim in the face of the challenges of the past year, the good news is that our nation can leverage lessons learnt from the fight against COVID-19 pandemic, nationally and globally, to make bold decisions to build a resilient health system,” he said.

    According to him, strong and resilient health systems are the lines of defence to pandemics and other health threats, while vaccines are the surest and most cost-effective measure we have so far, to contain the pandemic, but inequities in global distribution, reduced the access of African countries to a fair share.

    The minister stated that as of Nov, 27, over six million persons had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 3.4 million persons were fully vaccinated with two doses.

    He said Nigeria was far from vaccinating 70 per cent of eligible population for herd immunity, necessitating the ongoing mass vaccination exercise aimed at reaching 50 per cent of eligible population by January 2022, but stressed that vaccine skepticism is still a huge challenge.

    The minister noted that states had a role to play in addressing vaccine hesitancy and charged the State Commissioners to therefore continue to work strategically with the Federal organization, to address it and other challenges.

    Ehanire disclosed that COVID-19 also brought a rude awakening of how totally import dependent they were when it comes to pharmaceuticals, vaccines and other critical commodities.

    “The realization of the urgency of domestic manufacturing has never been so clear. Developing and supporting capacity to begin indigenous medical Industry is a national security issue, to not only protect our citizens but also mitigate capital flight derived from importation of all vaccines,” he added.

    According to him, the Federal Government is working with an indigenous private pharma company to make Nigeria a vaccine manufacturing hub for West Africa and beyond. Government has 49 percent stake in BioVaccines Nigeria Ltd (BVNL) a PPP venture to produce various vaccines in-country.

    “We have also come a long way in the expectation of a law for mandatory health insurance in Nigeria, a critical health sector reform to revolutionize funding and undergoing innovative digital health technology reforms.

    “Side by side with this, is the network of National Primary Health Care centers to take care to the grassroots. Models of new PHC designs have been sent to all State Governors and contain staff quarters, assured water supply, solar powered aggregates and a sound complement of human resource for health.

    “These PHCs are the most important building blocks of our health system and should be prioritized by all states as the platform attain UHC. Opportunities to benefit from COVID-19 pandemic include construction of a total of 50 oxygen plants by the Federal Government and Global Fund, and importation of thousands of oxygen cylinders to make oxygen available to all hospitals, including PHCs, within a short drive,” he added.

    Ehanire also revealed that the Emergency Medical Treatment provided for in the National Health Act, is being realized with the setting up of the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS).

    “It is an innovative care system that brings public and private ambulances and hospital assets together in a fee for service partnership that is at no cost to the user at point of care, and takes health care to a new level in Nigeria, including a sophisticated operational software is to be procured with support from Global Fund at huge amount.

    “We must reflect critically on how to refocus, re-energise and reprogram the future of Health, ensuring lessons learnt from the COVID 19 pandemic response are leveraged to develop statutes, strategies and frameworks that deliver continuously improving quality of health to our people while building back better, ensuring no one is left behind as we develop a resilient health system that ranks among the best,” he added.

    To this end, he added that President Muhammad Buhari recently approved the Health Care Reform Committee under the Chairmanship of the Vice President to make a critical assessment of past reforms and recommendations to overhaul the health sector to improve performance at all levels.

    “A tertiary hospitals standards Committee has also been inaugurated to set standards for the tertiary health Institutions, some.of which are doing well while others are in need of management improvements.

    “And so, over the four days that the technical and council sessions will take place, memos will be considered and approvals sought for implementation of those meeting the requirements.

    “Sub-themes of this special NCH have been carefully selected too and seasoned personalities invited to take us through topics we hope will move our health system forward,” he added.

    In her remarks, Cross River Health Commissioner, Dr Betta Edu, who spoke on behalf of that Commissioners for Health Forum, said that the commissioners want to believe that the link between the sltates and the Federal government would become stronger.

  • COVID-19: Omicron variant now in 23 countries

    COVID-19: Omicron variant now in 23 countries

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) says cases of the new Omicron variant have been reported in at least 23 countries in five of the six WHO regions.

    WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, disclosed on Wednesday in Geneva and said that the number of cases was expected to grow.

    “WHO takes this development extremely seriously, and so should every country,” he told journalists listening in to the agency’s regular virtual briefing on COVID-19.

    “But it should not surprise us. This is what viruses do. And it’s what this virus will continue to do, as long as we allow it to continue spreading,” he said.

    Preliminary evidence suggests Omicron may have “potential immune escape” and or possibly higher transmissibility, when compared to previous variants of concern, according to WHO’s latest weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19, also released on Wednesday.

    He said experts were learning more about the variant, “but there’s still more to learn about its effect on transmission, severity of disease, and the effectiveness of tests, therapeutics and vaccines.”

    The WHO chief urged countries to take “rational, proportional risk-reduction measures”, including those aimed at delaying or reducing spread, such as screening passengers or implementing quarantines for international travellers.

    However, he stressed that “blanket travel bans would not prevent international spread of Omicron and they place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods.”

    Ghebreyesus emphasised the need to continue public health measures against coronavirus spread and ensure high-risk and vulnerable people are fully vaccinated.

    He warned that the current “toxic mix” of low vaccine coverage, and very low testing are a recipe for breeding and amplifying variants.

    “We need to use the tools we already have to prevent transmission and save lives from Delta.

    “And if we do that, we will also prevent transmission and save lives from Omicron. But if countries and individuals don’t do what they need to do to stop transmission of Delta, they won’t stop Omicron either,” he said.

    As of Tuesday, there were more than 261 million confirmed cases of the COVID-19 globally, and 5.2 million deaths, with the Delta variant continuing to dominate

    Meanwhile, the director-general said agreement by countries to launch a process to develop a new global accord on pandemic prevention and response was cause for hope.

    Ghebreyesus welcomed the consensus decision reached during a special session of the World Health Assembly (WHA), the UN agency’s top decision-making body, attended by representatives from its 194 member-states.

    The three-day meeting began on Monday with the sole goal of considering the benefits of creating a new international agreement on pandemic prevention preparedness and how best to avoid the pitfalls that have marred an effective response to COVID-19.

    This marked only the second time the assembly has met in a special session since WHO was founded in 1948.

    “The adoption of this decision is cause for celebration, and cause for hope, which we will need,” he said in his closing remarks, though noting the road ahead was long.

    “There are still differences of opinion about what a new accord could or should contain. But you have proven to each other and the world that differences can be overcome, and common ground can be found.”

    The decision will establish an Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) that will negotiate and draft any convention, agreement or other international instrument.

    A first meeting will take place no later than March 1, 2022 and public hearings will also be held to inform deliberations.

    The INB will deliver a progress report to the World Health Assembly in 2023 and submit its outcome for consideration the following year.

  • ICYMI: Popular anti-vaccine Pastor, Daystar founder dies of Covid-19

    ICYMI: Popular anti-vaccine Pastor, Daystar founder dies of Covid-19

    Marcus Lamb, a popular televangelist who discouraged vaccinations has died after being hospitalized for Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Lamb is the founder of popular Christian television network, Daystar Television Network.

    His wife, Joni announced the televangelist’s death on Daystar’s program streamed to Facebook.

    She said her husband had diabetes but was healthy and was hospitalized after being diagnosed with Covid-19.

    She said: “He never talked about that, but he had diabetes, but he kept it in check. He was very healthy, he ate healthy, he kept his weight down, and always kept his sugar at a good level.

    “But with trying to treat Covid and the pneumonia, the different protocols that are used, including many of the protocols we talked about here on Daystar, and we used those, and I used them and breezed through Covid.

    “It caused his blood sugar to spike and just a decrease in his oxygen and that’s why he went to the hospital, so he could have oxygen.

    “He 100% believed in everything that we’ve talked about here on Daystar and helping so many people around the world with early protocol treatments for Covid. We still stand by that, obviously”.

    Joni Lamb said her husband’s “heart just gave out”.

    Meanwhile, Lamb’s son, Jonathan has described his father’s Covid-19 diagnosis as a “spiritual attack from the enemy”.

    “There’s no doubt in my mind that this is a spiritual attack from the enemy. As much as my parents have gone on here to kind of inform everyone about everything going on in the pandemic and some of the ways to treat Covid, there’s no doubt that the enemy is not happy about that, and he’s doing everything he can to take down my dad,” he said.

    A statement from Daystar Television Network said in part, “The family asks at this time that their privacy be respected as they grieve this difficult loss, and they wish to express their deep love and gratitude for all those who prayed during Marcus’s health battle. Continue to lift them up in prayer in the days ahead”.

  • BREAKING: Omicron variant of COVID-19 detected in Nigeria

    BREAKING: Omicron variant of COVID-19 detected in Nigeria

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced the detection of the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Omicron variant of COVID-19 was announced detected in Nigeria by the NCDC on Wednesday.

    According to a statement released by the NCDC, which was signed by its Director General, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, the Omicron variant of COVID-19 was detected in the country through genomic surveillance.

    The statement reads: “The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) conducts case and genomic surveillance for inbound international travelers arriving in the country at its National Reference Laboratory (NRL), Abuja and network of other testing laboratories.

    “Sequencing of samples from COVID-19 positive inbound travelers is currently conducted in laboratories with sequencing capacity in the country and all the sequencing data are shared in publicly accessible databases.

    “This genomic surveillance has now identified and confirmed Nigeria’s first cases of the B.1.1.529 SARS-CoV-2 lineage, now known as the Omicron variant. Samples obtained for the stipulated day two test for all travelers to Nigeria were positive for this variant in three persons with history of travel to South Africa. These cases were recent arrivals in the country in the past week.

    “Follow up to ensure isolation, linkage to clinical care, contact tracing and other relevant response activities have commenced. Arrangements are also being made to notify the country where travel originated according to the provisions of the International Health Regulations.

    “The NCDC assumes Omicron is widespread globally given the increasing number of countries reporting this variant. Therefore, it is a matter of when, not if, we will identify more cases.

    “We continue to expand our sequencing capacity in-country at the NCDC-NRL, through our network of public health laboratories and other partners.

    “Our focus is to complete sequencing of recently accrued samples of SARS-COV-2 positive travelers from all countries, especially those from countries that have reported the Omicron variant already.

    “Since reports of the emergence of this Omicron variant, the Federal Ministry of Health through the NCDC has intensified public health response measures to COVID-19 in Nigeria.

    “The national travel advisory has also been revised by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 and now requires all inbound travelers to Nigeria present a negative COVID-19 test result done not more than 48hrs before departure. Pre-booking and payment for all day 2 and day 7 COVID-19 PCR tests are prerequisites for travel.

    “In addition, all outbound passengers regardless of the requirements of destination countries are expected to present evidence of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test done not later than 48 hours before departure”.

    TNG reports the NCDC appealed to Nigerians to adhere strictly to these travel protocols and other public safety measures to protect themselves, families, friends, the community at large and to prevent a fourth wave of COVID-19 in the country “as we combat the pandemic and these emerging variants including the Delta variant”.

    Also, the disease control centre has made recommendations for States in the country, and for the public as well, stressing that given the risk of increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant, it is essential to curb community transmission.

    “The NCDC recommends that States ensure sample collection and testing remain widely accessible, so that people who have symptoms or have been exposed to a positive case get tested quickly in healthcare and other settings.

    “This can be achieved through increased COVID-19 testing using approved antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) that are being rolled out by the NCDC and partners as well as PCR-tests where applicable.

    “Vaccination also reduces community transmission and States should effectively implement ongoing mass vaccination campaigns and encourage citizens to make use of every available opportunity to get vaccination.

    “Continued transmission as seen in largely unvaccinated populations from which this new variant has emerged also encourages the emergence of newer and possibly more dangerous variants. Interrupting transmission of the virus remains our best defense against this virus and path to returning to normalcy.

    “We can only achieve this through vaccination and adherence to the proven safety measures such as wearing face masks, regular hand washing and physical distancing.

    “We appeal to business owners, religious leaders, and people in authority to take responsibility by ensuring people in their premises adhere to these measures. We strongly urge Nigerians to only share information from trusted sources including NCDC and the Federal Ministry of Health. Our safety as a country depends on our collective responsibility,” the statement added.

  • U.S. tightens COVID-19 travel rules as countries race to quell Omicron threat

    U.S. tightens COVID-19 travel rules as countries race to quell Omicron threat

    Air travellers to the United States (U.S.) will face tougher Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing rules as several countries moved to seal-off their borders amid growing uncertainty around the virulence of the Omicron variant.

    The Omicron variant has the ability to dodge existing vaccines.

    In Asia-Pacific, Hong Kong and Japan said they would expand travel curbs, while Australia was bracing for more Omicron cases after at least two people visited several locations in its biggest city while likely infectious.

    In an attempt to stave off hasty global border restrictions, the World Health Organisation called on countries to apply “an evidence-informed and risk-based approach” to travel measures.

    Blanket travel bans will not prevent the spread, and they “place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods”, the WHO said.

    More than 50 countries were reportedly implementing travel measures aimed at potentially delaying import of Omicron as of Nov. 28, the WHO added.

    Investors remained on edge on Wednesday, even as financial markets came off lows plumbed a day earlier following remarks by the CEO of Moderna that raised questions about the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines against Omicron.

    Global health officials have since sought to offer reassurances and reiterated calls for people to get vaccinated.

    “Even if the new variant becomes more widespread, the vaccines we have will continue to provide protection,” European Medicines Agency Executive Director Emer Cooke said.

    Echoing remarks by vaccine maker BioNTech and scientists, Cooke said laboratory analyses should indicate over the next two weeks whether the blood of vaccinated people has sufficient antibodies to neutralise the new variant.

    BioNTech’s CEO said the vaccine it makes in a partnership with Pfizer would likely offer strong protection against severe disease from Omicron.

    The World Health Organisation classified Omicron as a “variant of concern,” due to the number of mutations that might help it spread or evade antibodies from prior infection or vaccination.

    First reported in southern Africa a week ago, Omicron has triggered global alarm, led to travel bans, and highlighted the disparity between massive vaccination pushes in rich nations and sparse inoculation in the developing world.

  • Nigeria records 21 new COVID-19 cases – NCDC

    Nigeria records 21 new COVID-19 cases – NCDC

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says the country recorded 21 new COVID-19 infections across five states of the federation on Monday.

    The NCDC stated this in its daily COVID-19 report on Tuesday morning.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 21 additional cases reported on Monday indicate a decrease from the 110 cases reported the previous day.

    According to the NCDC, the additional 21 cases bring the total of confirmed infections in the country to 214,113.

    It said Lagos recorded 6, Cross River-5, Rivers-5 and Abia-3.

    Meanwhile, Bauchi and Kaduna recorded one case each.

    The NCDC noted that since the outbreak of the virus on Feb. 27, 2020, a total of 2,976 persons had lost their lives, while 207,292 recovered and were discharged.

    The Nigerian public health institute said a multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre (EOC), activated at Level 2, continued to coordinate the national response activities.

    The agency added that a total of 3,479,682 blood samples had been tested since the pandemic began across the country.

  • Omicron: Stop labeling, penalizing Africa for new COVID-19 variants, AfDB President, Adesina blasts world leaders

    Omicron: Stop labeling, penalizing Africa for new COVID-19 variants, AfDB President, Adesina blasts world leaders

    African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwumi Adesina yesterday advised world leaders not to label or penalise African nations for the new COVID-19 variants and mutations.

    Adesina, one of the strong advocates of equity in vaccine distribution, said this in a series of tweets yesterday in the wake of the new COVID-19 variant spreading and causing panic.

    He said Africa is not the source of the COVID-19 pandemic and should not be penalised for new variants, urging for global justice, equity, and fairness in access to vaccines.

    The AfDB boss tweeted: “Africa should not be labelled and penalized for COVID-19 variants and mutations that occur randomly elsewhere in the world. Africa is not the source of COVID-19.

    “There must be global justice, equity & fairness in access to vaccines. Global vaccine supply system has underserved Africa. Protecting one’s home alone in the midst of a forest fire does not work. Put out the forest fire.

    “Africa must accelerate the manufacturing of its own vaccines & set up its own ‘healthcare security defence system’. Africa must no longer outsource health security of its 1.8 billion people to the benevolence of others.”

  • Chinese envoy reveals plans to take Nigerian football team to China

    Chinese envoy reveals plans to take Nigerian football team to China

    Mr Cui Jianchun, Ambassador of China to Nigeria has revealed plans by his country to take the Nigerian football team to his country.

    Cui made this known on Saturday while briefing Journalists on the sidelines of the 4th edition of the Nigeria-China Ping-Pong tournament, organised for Journalists by the China Cultural Centre in Abuja.

    He stressed this was part of efforts by his country and Nigeria to harness sporting activities to deepen diplomatic relations between the two countries.

    Cui said, “Nigeria leads in football in Africa and we have a great distance to catch up with Nigeria football, and we are thinking of bringing Nigeria football team to China, we can do things together.

    “I am working on this agenda, because there is need for the two countries, to try to use sports as a way to deepen relations between them.

    “I also have lots of plans for next year after COVID-19; I believe that lots of Journalists will like to go to China, because seeing is believing.

    “China has now really achieved a lot. We have lots of challenges, but I believe that if you go to China you will see China and I think that is beneficial to Nigerians.

    “We can use table tennis to build friendship between the two nations. It is very important and I think it special for young people to make friends, share ideas and exchange thoughts.”

    He disclosed that the Chinese embassy plans to create opportunities for Journalists to go to China and encourage Chinese people to come to Nigeria for nationals of both countries learn from each other.

    More so, Cui said, although the tournament could not hold in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic, China is putting-up measures to support Nigeria, to ensure that normalcy is restored, saying “Chinese central government has decided to donate Chinese vaccine to Nigeria.

    “Firstly, batch of 500,000 dosages will be delivered to Nigeria before the end of this year and millions of dosages could be provided by the Chinese government, so we await your government’s response.

    “We have 40 countries that use Chinese vaccines, donated by China, so on the Nigerian side, I have not received any response from your government.

    “I hope by the end of this year we can provide a million dosages to Nigeria and this is very important,” he added.

    Also speaking, Mr Emmanuel Ogbeche, Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Chapter, thanked the Embassy of China and promised to work closely with the mission to sustain the feat.

    According to Ogbeche, the support derived from the mission and its Cultural Centre has gone a long way to promote the well being of members of the Union and to physically keep fit.

    In a separate interview, the overall winner of the tournament in the men’s singles category, Tiennabeso Bibiye, a staff of AIT, expressed appreciation to the management of Daar Communications for its support.

    According to him, the management provided the enabling environment for its staff to prepare adequately for the tournament.

    “I came into this competition with some level of confidence, because I am a regular table tennis player, that is what I do, it is a passion for me, it is something I do to keep fit.

    “But, I never knew I was going to meet stiff opponent in today’s game.

    Equally, the overall Winner of Women’s singles category, Hannah Onoja, also a staff of AIT, attributed her success to adequate preparations.

    “I really trained hard for this game, knowing fully well of what is ahead for me, I trained under the sun and rain just for this particular tournament.

    “So, I am not surprised at my performance, I have been playing since the past three weeks,” Onoja said.

    Meanwhile, Adetokumbo Adesanya of the News Agency of Nigeria emerged second, and Denis Ade of NTA, and Ibrahim Shuibu of FRCN are joint third.

    Also, Chioma Anajor of Correspondence, emerged second in the women’s category, while Xhang Lixue of China Cultural Centre and Shittu Isiti of NTA took the third position.

    The event, hosted by the Embassy of China in Nigeria and NUJ, attracted 64 male players, 16 female players and 8 pairs of double players in the tournament.

    The Ambassador promised to donate a standard Table Tennis board to the NUJ.

  • COVID-19: Over 3.4m persons fully vaccinated in Nigeria – NPHCDA

    COVID-19: Over 3.4m persons fully vaccinated in Nigeria – NPHCDA

    The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) says that 3,487, 298 eligible persons in Nigeria have been fully vaccinated against Coronavirus (COVID-19), having received their second jabs.

    Dr Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director, NPHCDA, disclosed this during the inauguration of mass vaccination exercise for Nasarawa State on Friday in Lafia.

    Shuaib said that as at Friday, Nov. 26, a total of 6,242, 224 eligible persons in the country had received their first doses of the vaccine.

    “From the data above, it is clear that Nigeria is still far from reaching its target of vaccinating almost 112 million of its eligible population,” he said.

    Shuaib said that the Federal Government came up with the mass vaccination campaign in view of the festive period characterised by large gathering with risk of spread of the virus.

    He said the campaign was geared towards creating access to the vaccines in order to ward off a potential 4th wave of the pandemic.

    He said the mass vaccination campaign was a carefully designed service delivery strategy to rapidly increase the number of fully vaccinated eligible people and fast track the country’s economic and social recovery.

    “The main aim of the mass vaccination campaign is to vaccinate 50 per cent of Nigeria’s eligible population by January 2022,” Shuaib added.

    In Nasarawa State, the executive director pointed out that based on data from the National Population Commission (NPC), about 1.5million persons in the state were eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination.

    “As it stands, we have only been able to vaccinate 8.1 per cent of eligible Nasarawa residents with the first dose and only 5.3 per cent are fully vaccinated.

    “This is below our target which is to vaccinate all eligible residents with the COVID-19 vaccines in order to ensure full protection against the deadly virus.

    “In order to address the logistical problems of getting to vaccination site by Nigerians, the Federal Government in collaboration with the State Government has expanded the vaccination sites in Nasarawa State.

    “The COVID-19 vaccines are now available in our public health facilities, designated private health facilities, shopping malls, open markets, schools, general hospitals, tertiary health institutions, recreation parks, religious centres, motor parks and other designated sites, he said.

    Shuaib encouraged Nasarawa residents, who are 18 years and above to come out en masse to receive the vaccines in order to protect themselves, their loved ones and communities.

    He appreciated the media for their support so far and called on them to intensify actions in mobilising eligible Nigerians for improved vaccination.

    “We count on your support to ensure the overall success of the mass vaccination campaign across the country.

    “Please remember, no one is safe from COVID-19 until everyone is safe from it,” Shuaib added.

    In his remarks, Gov. Abdullahi Sule gave assurance that his government would ensure that every citizen of the state was vaccinated in order to achieve herd immunity and safety of all.

  • UK suspends flight from 6 African countries over new COVID-19 variant

    UK suspends flight from 6 African countries over new COVID-19 variant

    The government of the United Kingdom (UK) has announced new precautionary travel restrictions for six African countries, including South Africa.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports this is coming as scientists say they have detected a new variant of COVID-19 in Botswana, which has spread to South Africa.

    The countries, which have also been placed on the UK’s travel red list, are South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

    A statement on the government website confirmed the UK Health Security Agency is investigating the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529.

    The statement reads: “No cases have been identified in the UK. We are taking these precautionary measures to protect public health and the progress we’ve made so far through our successful vaccination programme.

    “From midday on Friday 26 November, non-UK and Irish residents who have been in these countries in the previous 10 days will be refused entry into England. This does not apply to those who have stayed airside and only transited through any of these countries while changing flights.

    “UK and Irish residents arriving between midday Friday 26 November and 4am Sunday 28 November from these six countries will be required to self-isolate at home for 10 days. They must take PCR tests on Day 2 and Day 8 post-arrival. These can be NHS PCR tests and passengers should take them even if they have already booked or taken their lateral flow test.

    “UK and Irish residents arriving from 4am Sunday must isolate in a government-approved facility for 10 days. During their stay, they will be required to take a coronavirus test on day 2 and day 8.

    “A temporary ban on commercial and private planes travelling from the six countries will also come into force at midday on Friday until 4am Sunday to reduce the risk of importing this new variant under investigation while hotel quarantine is stood up. This excludes cargo and freight without passengers”.