The Federal Government has commenced the enforcement of mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 at the Federal Secretariat.
As early as 7:00 am on Wednesday, security men manned the main entrance to the Federal Secretariat where they demanded either a vaccination card or evidence of negative PCR test before allowing the civil servants to enter the Secretariat.
Some of the unvaccinated civil servants however questioned the Federal Government’s decision saying COVID-19 vaccination should not be made compulsory but a matter of choice.
Others said they are willing to get vaccinated.
However, a vaccination stand has been set up under a canopy close to the secretariat for those interested to take their vaccine.
The Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 had earlier given a directive mandating all Federal Civil Servants to be vaccinated or present evidence of negative PCR test for COVID-19, effective from December 1, 2021.
Omicron Variant Fear
The enforcement of the mandatory vaccination comes amid fears of the new Omicron coronavirus variant.
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said on Wednesday that three cases of the variant has been confirmed in the country.
The health agency said the three cases of the variant were discovered through genomic sequencing, linking the cases to three passengers from South Africa.
The NCDC boss, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, revealed that since reports of the emergence of the Omicron variant, the Federal Ministry of Health, through the NCDC, has intensified public health response measures to COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Canada has banned travellers from more African countries including Nigeria over fears of the spread of the new Omicron variant.