President Buhari Receives COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shot

President Muhammadu Buhari received the Pfizer booster jab of COVID-19 on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The Federal Government had earlier announced that the administration of booster jabs would commence in December, in order to help stop the spread of the Omicron Variant of COVID-19. According to the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), those eligible for the COVID-19 booster dose are those aged 18 years and above and must have already taken a single dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine or full doses of the AstraZeneca, Pfizer Bio-N-Tech, or Moderna vaccine.

President Buhari Approves Salary Payment of Health Workers Withheld During Strike

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the payment of health workers' salaries which was withheld when they embarked on industrial strike action in 2018 and 2021. The Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning is expected to pay the wages of doctors and other health workers which was suspended to implement the no-work-no-pay rule. Thursday by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige after a meeting with President Buhari at Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

Nigeria Records Fresh 55 COVID-19 Cases

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has revealed that the country on Sunday recorded 55 new cases of COVID-19. According to the agency the new cases where from six states. Lagos had the highest number with 37, followed by Edo state which recorded 6. The other states recorded as follows: Osun (5), Oyo (4), Ogun (2), and Ekiti (1).

WHO Sounds Warning Over Rapid Spread Of Omicron Variant

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) have cautioned that the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading faster than the Delta variant and is causing infections in people already vaccinated or who have recovered from the COVID-19 infection. WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who told journalists at the agency’s Headquarters in Geneva that, there is now “consistent evidence” that the Omicron variant was outpacing Delta said it was also more likely that people who had been vaccinated or recovered from the virus, could be infected, or re-infected. The WHO has urged people to cancel some of their holiday plans to protect public health, as the Omicron variant spreads globally. “There can be no doubt that increased social mixing over the holiday period in many countries will lead to increased cases, overwhelm health systems and more deaths. “All of us are sick of this pandemic. All of us want to spend time with friends and family. All of us want to get back to normal. “The fastest way to do that is for all of us – leaders and individuals – to make the difficult decisions that must be made to protect ourselves and others,” Ghebreyesus said.

COVID-19: FG Reacts To Report Of ‘One Million’ Expired Vaccines

The Minister of Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire has reacted to circulating reports that about one million doses of the donated COVID-19 vaccines given to Nigeria by some international donors expired and were eventually withdrawn from circulation. The Federal Government has said it has utilised most of the over 10 million short shelf-life doses of COVID-19 vaccines before the expiration in good time. A statement signed by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, and dated December 8, 2021, the government said the expired vaccines had been withdrawn and will be destroyed by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control )NAFDAC). It reads: The attention of the Federal Ministry of Health has been drawn to reports circulating in the media to the effect that some COVID-19 vaccines had expired in Nigeria. “Nigeria has, of late, enjoyed the generosity of several, mainly European countries, who have offered us doses of COVID-19 vaccines out of their stockpiles, free of charge, through COVAX or AVAT facility.

UK Red Lists Nigerian Travelers over COVID-19 Omicron

The United Kingdom (UK) yesterday added Nigeria to its Red List of countries whose nationals are prevented from entering its territory on account of the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. Already on the list are Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In effect, from 4am tomorrow, only British and Irish nationals traveling from Nigeria will be allowed into the UK and must isolate in a government-managed quarantine hotel.