Prevent third wave, Assembly tells FG, govt
The Lagos State House of Assembly has called on the Federal and the Lagos State governments to ensure proper monitoring of immigrants into the country to prevent the spread of the third wave of COVID-19.
According to a statement on Thursday, a decision was taken, following a motion raised by Rotimi Olowo, the member representing Shomolu Constituency under ‘Matter of Urgent Public importance’ during plenary, following reports of the third wave of coronavirus.
The statement added, “The Lagos State Government should embark on the enlightenment of members of the public on the need to observe COVID-19 protocols such as covering their nose, washing of hands and maintaining social distance. The Lagos State Governor should also direct the Commissioner for Health to ensure proper COVID-19 tests across the state. There should be enlightenment in schools, churches, mosques, markets and clubs and COVID-19 vaccines must be made available to the people of the state”.
The Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, directed the Clerk of the House, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko, to inform Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the motion through a letter, stating that there should be precautionary measures taken to prevent the spread of the pandemic in the state as the current COVID-19 vaccine might not cover the new wave of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has said the COVID-19 cases in the state is increasing.
The Commissioner, at the South- West zonal town hall meeting on COVID-19 vaccination in Lagos on Thursday, said that no fewer than 100 Lagosians have tested positive for the virus in the last five days.
Abayomi said the state’s testing figures were going up slightly, adding that it was also expected that a lot of people were coming back from Europe, especially the young children.
He said the figure of the infected people steadily rose from 30 cases daily to between 60 and 80 earlier before it remained at 100, saying that there were evidence that those infected had not received the vaccine.
“Looking at the history of the new cases admitted in Lagos, none of them has been vaccinated. It is not scientific, robust evidence but it is an indication. The early indication shows that those not vaccinated are the ones catching the virus”.
The State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented at the event by the Secretary of State Government, Mrs. Folashade Jaji, also expressed dismay that the persisting rumours have affected the uptake of the vaccine.
Sanwo-Olu declared that Lagos could not afford another lockdown again due to the imminent COVID-19 third wave, which he believed could be prevented.
While encouraging the citizens to take the vaccine, he said, so far, the country had not recorded any case of death associated with the COVID-19 vaccine and almost four million Nigerians had been vaccinated.
The governor said, “I am counting on the full support of NPHCDA, the South-West Governors, our Royal Fathers, development partners and all other distinguished guests here present to ensure that we all keep sensitizing our people on the need to adhere to all the precautions and guidelines that will bring the pandemic to a full and final stop.
