COVID-19 in Lagos: Governor Sanwo-Olu Says 4th Wave of Virus Is Here
As Nigeria’s most populous state and an international travel hub, Lagos State governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has warned residents that the fourth wave of Coronavirus infections has already reached Lagos.
The rate at which Lagos State is registering positive cases of Coronavirus illustrates the increase in infections in the state.
A failure to follow the established protocols triggered the fourth wave, leading to an outbreak in parts of the state.
How does the Covid-19 situation in Lagos look?
Most recently, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has warned of an oncoming fourth wave of infections and told citizens to prepare themselves to prevent the spread of the virus.
A positive count of Covid-19 cases has increased in Lagos since the 5th of December 2021, which shows that Lagos has already begun the fourth wave pandemic.
According to Lagos State Governor Sanwo-Olu, the state has registered 78,564 confirmed cases of COVID-19, while 71,977 patients have recovered, while the state still monitors 612 patients.
Admitted into different COVID-19 care clinics in Lagos is 6,066 patients, with 686 registered fatalities.
Strategies to Mitigate the Spread of Covid-19 in Lagos
During the fourth wave of COVID-19, the government has committed to implementing the new rules. The Lagos State Government will prosecute any violators through mobile courts.
In the state’s opinion, it reviewed the existing recommendations by the Presidential Steering Committee on travel protocols.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said he plans to take some action to minimize the future spread of infection. So what are these strategies? They include the following overview:
Increase Vaccination Uptake
To increase the vaccination rate, the Lagos state government set up a campaign called ‘’Count Me In’’. Under the campaign, the Lagos State Governor has directed the Lagos State Ministry of Health to distribute eight million vaccine doses to four million residents by the 25th of December, 2021.
For vaccine accessibility, the policy enlists the help of the private health sector.
The state will introduce 30 private priority sites for anyone who wants to get vaccinated in a quiet setting. While vaccination at public centres is free, private centres charge an administration fee (N4,500 per dose and N6,000 for two shots). Click here to register for the vaccination at Medbury.
Social Gatherings
Better approaches to mitigate the spread of the virus are protocols on social gatherings, especially this yuletide season. For every social event. Event planners and hosts must register their events and get safety clearance from the state Safety Commission website. (Click here to register your event).
If possible, residents should hold events outdoors, and occupancy limits at any event must not exceed 60% of the event’s maximum design capacity. Every person who attends a social event must show vaccine cards or a digital barcode page that shows they have received at least the first dose, but ideally a double dose vaccination. Unvaccinated attendees must perform a negative PCR test within 72 hours of the event. (Click here to register for a PCR test).
The safety commission requires all event participants to undergo a Rapid Diagnostic Test (Antigen) within 24 hours following the event, regardless of vaccination status. The Safety Commission must approve applications for fast rapid tests at the venue.
Travel Protocol
The Lagos government announced that it would enforce the updated travel protocol implemented by the Nigerian government for inbound and outbound travellers. For those who refuse to submit to the mandatory test, the government will ban their passport for one year. The Lagos state government will also prosecute anyone caught with fake vaccination cards at the mobile court set up by the state government. The government will punish any violators. (Read more about the new travel protocol here.)
Other Developing News in Nigeria
Since the reported confirmed cases of Omicron in Nigeria a couple of weeks ago, we have three additional confirmed cases. The total number of confirmed cases of the Omicron variant discovered in Nigeria stands at six.
However, experts have reached no definite solution to combat the fast-spreading virus, as they are still studying this variant of concern.
The Presidential Steering Committee, in collaboration with the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency and the Federal Ministry of Health, has approved booster doses for those who meet the following criteria:
-Individuals over 18 years of age.
-Anyone who has received a second dose of AstraZeneca, Moderna, or Pfizer Bio-N-Tech vaccine.
-Anyone who has received a second dose of Johnson and Johnson.
In conclusion,
The best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 is to apply preventative measures by:
-Spreading awareness
-Encouraging friends and family to get vaccinated,
-Using a face mask
-And also ensuring the usage of handwashing facilities.
Lastly, every citizen living in Lagos State needs to take precautions by avoiding contact with infected persons. For further inquiries and information on how to get vaccinated or you need to get a Covid-19 test click here.
