As Christians all over the country celebrate Christmas, the Kaduna State Government has asked residents of the state, churches, recreational centers and other public places to always adhere to the stipulated COVID-19 safety protocols during the celebration.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr. Amina Baloni said that given the persistence of the virus, there is a need for every resident of the state to assume utmost personal responsibility.
This she said includes strict compliance with prevention protocols such as wearing facemasks, observing physical distance as much as possible, washing hands regularly with soap and running water, or using sanitisers, avoiding crowded spaces, especially indoors, and practising respiratory hygiene.
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According to the statement, these non-pharmaceutical measures can be safely and easily practised to reduce the risk of infection, severe illness, and fatalities, while places of worship, recreation, restaurants, shops event centres, and hotels are reminded to kindly prioritise compliance with public health protocols.
“COVID-19 remains a dangerous virus, with many mutations, that are putting fresh pressures on public health systems across the world. The Kaduna State Covid-19 Task Force has since the latter half of 2020 decided that the preventive management of the pandemic in the state had to be based on citizens exercising personal responsibility in the safe pursuit of livelihoods, worship, travel, recreation, and other aspects of everyday life. This continues to be the case,” the statement read.
“The state has also launched a campaign of mass vaccination to increase the number of citizens that have taken the approved Covid-19 vaccines. Already, more than 450,000 residents have received at least one vaccine dose, but this number needs to grow to increase immunity levels and help reduce the risk of severe illness when infection occurs. The Ministry urges residents to visit primary and secondary health centres and designated private hospitals to get these vaccines.”
The commissioner further said that citizens that have taken their first two doses of the vaccine are eligible for booster jabs six months after their second dose of AstraZeneca vaccination, adding that the vaccines are free of charge.
