Adhere to COVID protocol during Yuletide celebrations, Kaduna advises residents

The Kaduna state ministry of health has called on residents to adhere to safety protocol during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

In a statement signed by Amina Baloni, the commissioner for health, the ministry advised residents to wear facemasks, observe physical distance as much as possible, maintain good hygiene, and avoid crowded spaces.

“These non-pharmaceutical measures can be safely and easily practised to reduce the risk of infection, severe illness, and fatalities. Places of worship, recreation, restaurants, shops event centres and hotels are reminded to kindly prioritise compliance with public health protocols,” she said.

The commissioner reminded residents of the dangers of COVID-19, adding that its many mutations are putting fresh pressures on public health systems across the world.

“The Kaduna State Covid-19 Taskforce 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 reads.

“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.

“Residents should visit primary and secondary health centres and designated private hospitals to get these vaccines.

“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. The vaccines are free of charge and anyone who asks members of the public for payment under any guise should be reported to the authorities.”