Atedo Peterside tests positive for COVID, advises Nigerians on preventive measures

Atedo Peterside, the founder of Stanbic IBTC and Anap Foundation, says he has tested positive for COVID-19.

In a statement on Tuesday, Peterside said there was an outbreak of COVID-19 in his house over the weekend, which made him go into isolation and cancel all physical engagements.

Peterside said he took the COVID test on Monday and the result indicated that he was positive.

He said despite an invitation to visit Aso Rock on Wednesday for an event, he maintained his ground on staying in isolation.

“I know a little bit about the Omicron variant and how highly transmissible it is. That I had no symptoms whatsoever was not the issue. The chances were that I could be at the incubation stage,” he said.

“In any case, my latest COVID test had been taken on Monday morning by 54-Gene and the result was not yet out.

“This morning (Tuesday) I woke up and saw an email that came in overnight containing my COVID test result from Monday (yesterday) morning and it was POSITIVE.

“I have chosen to tell this story so others can learn from it. If I did not steadfastly cancel all engagements since Friday morning, only God knows how I might have contributed to the spread of COVID in Nigeria simply by being irresponsible and disobedient. 

“I still do not have any COVID symptoms, but in a sense my positive test result was both a relief and a lesson. To all those who felt I was being too strict to the point of being ridiculous, I stand vindicated. I am relieved because some people argued with my stance and felt I was simply overzealous. Now they know different. 

“Apart from using my plight to serve as a lesson to others, my final reason for making this public is to help a few misguided persons who still prefer to stigmatise COVID. There is nothing to be ashamed about if you are the latest person to be caught by a pandemic.”

Peterside also advised Nigerians to be responsible and get vaccinated so as to have some form of protection.

He said: “Finally, please get your head around this; I had taken two doses of the Astrazeneca Vaccine in early March and late May 2021 and I also took the Pfizer booster shot last week in Victoria Island and yet COVID still knocked on my door.

“I was well prepared in the sense of taking all the preventive measures which the Nigerian Government placed at my disposal. Perhaps the vaccines help to make me asymptomatic (so far)? Are you as well prepared as I was? If you are not, what do you intend to do about it?”