April 13, 2021

Mr Friday Igbinovia, Coordinator, World Health Organisation (WHO), Adamawa, on Tuesday urged the media to create more awareness on the importance of taking COVID-19 vaccines in the country.

Igbinovia made the call at “A Three-Day Media Dialogue On Routine Immunisation, Post Polio Certification and COVID-19 Vaccination” in Yola organised by Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in collaboration with UNICEF.

He said that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective and should be taken as everyone is at risk of getting infected especially, the weak, elderly and persons with chronic diseases.

Igbinovia said that the vaccine helps the body to develop immunity to the COVID-19 virus, emphasising that it does not cause any harm or ailment.

He added that by taking the complete dose of the vaccine, the body would be able to fight the virus in the future.

The coordinator called on people to continue obeying national and state directives on avoidance of large gathering and strict adhereance to COVID-19 protocols to reduce the possible spread of the virus.

Also, Dr Stephen John, Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Health, Adamawa, also urged the media to create more awareness for people to understand, shun rumours and continue to abide by the COVID-19 preventive protocols.

According to him, compliance to the protocols is key to defeating the spread of the virus in the state and country at large.

He said that the major challenges to addressing COVID-19 in the state included high symptomatic cases and poor compliance to preventive protocols especially at health facilities.

Mrs Elizabeth Onitolo, Communication for Development (C4D) Specialists, UNICEF, urged people who get vaccinated to also observe the precautionary protocols to safeguard other people from the COVID-19 virus. (NAN)