The World Health Organisation, or WHO, has alerted the public about the availability of vaccines and reported that there are 25 new instances of COVID-19 infections in Benue State.
Because the illness is still spreading, they need to take measures.
This was disclosed at a one-day Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, and Media Engagement/Orientation meeting on the COVID-19 Ramp up in Makurdi by Ogechukwu Chigbo, WHO Surveillance Officer for Benue State.
Read Also: Testing to begin in Four States, NCDC monitoring new COVID-19 subvariants
The surveillance officer informed the public that Covid-19 was still a common virus and that vaccinations were the best line of defence against it.
The issue, according to her, is that there are a lot of unfavourable rumours around the COVID-19 vaccination. Since this is the time of year that we record outbreaks, it is imperative that everyone receives a vaccination. And the vaccine is the reason why fewer people are contracting the illness.
“Vaccination is highly recommended as individuals who are dying from COVID-19 while the vaccine is still in circulation are taking their own lives. We cannot stand by and watch while people perish because they are unaware that a vaccination is available to protect them. There are sufficient vaccines to keep everyone safe.
“We have recorded 25 cases in Benue this year; however, there have been no fatalities. This underscores the importance of everyone getting vaccinated.”
She emphasised that, in an effort to inspire even more bravery in the state, the international body has chosen to incorporate the COVID-19 immunisation into the regular immunisation programme.
“We have been implementing series of campaigns on COVID-19,” she said. Since we have encountered certain difficulties and have not been able to immunise at least 70% of the population in Benue, it is preferable to incorporate the vaccine into routine vaccination.
We believed that regularising the COVID-19 vaccine would be very beneficial, although it might not be as successful without accompanied by sensitization. We am aware that a lot of individuals have unfavourable opinions of the vaccine, yet it is safe. You won’t get a serious infection thanks to the vaccination. For this reason, it is imperative that each of us receive a vaccination; they can be obtained for free at any medical facility that offers routine immunisation.
“Everyone in Benue who is at least eighteen years old is encouraged to come in for a vaccination. Fortunately, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine only needs to be administered once.
Furthermore, carers and healthcare professionals were advised by Kaltume Ibrahim, the WHO Sub-national Technical Assistant, COVID-19/Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response, not to force mothers to pay for immunisations that were supposed to be given without charge.
She declared that it was completely intolerable to warn those who were in the habit to stop, as this would undoubtedly discourage mothers from bringing their infants and kids for immunisation. It is a serious issue, and communities need to be made aware that vaccinations are free and should never be paid for. All they have to do is proceed to the immunisation site; if it is located distant from the community, it will be shifted in closer proximity. Vaccinations are free for everyone.
