When asked if anyone had been prosecuted for presenting a fake vaccination certificate or test result, Ehanire explained that the normal procedure was to quarantine such people before handing them over to the police. He admitted that he never followed up to know what happened to such people
Ehanire said the government was exploring the option of setting up vaccination centres at supermarkets and worship centres.
The minister added that the government was looking at vaccinating at least 70 per cent of the population against coronavirus.
He stated that Nigeria had about 100 million doses which would be delivered to the country in phases.
On the possibility of vaccine production, Ehanire said the Federal Government was seriously looking towards that, adding that it would be a collaborative effort with the private sector.
Regarding the possible spike in COVID-19 infections during the Yuletide, Ehanire said the government would continue to encourage non-pharmaceutical interventions like wearing of masks, social distancing and use of hand sanitisers.
When asked if Nigeria was already facing another wave of COVID-19 infections, he responded in the affirmative, adding that the 4th wave had been predicted long ago and this may just be it.
Ehanire stated, “We had the so-called third wave already with the Delta variant. This is what we are looking at as the 4th wave and it was predicted as far back as a month ago that there might be a 4th wave in Nigeria and perhaps the world and it is already accurately manifesting. We hope it doesn’t get to be that and if it becomes the 4th wave, it will not be deadly to our citizens.”
Between Nov 22 and Nov 28, 67 inbound passengers tested positive – NCDC report
Meanwhile, more inbound passengers are testing positive to COVID-19, an analysis of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control’s weekly situation report has shown.
The report obtained from the NCDC website on Sunday indicated that positivity rate among inbound travellers had increased by 74.6 per cent.
It was also gathered that 48 out of the 94 test centres for inbound persons of interest had not sent in reports of persons tested for three weeks.According to the NCDC, in its latest situation report, a total of 17 inbound passengers tested positive between November 15 and November 21.
It however added that between November 22 and November 28, a total of 67 passengers tested positive signifying a 74.6 per cent increase.
Meanwhile, The PUNCH also observed that 48 laboratories meant to test inbound passengers failed to submit test results to the NCDC.
Our correspondents who monitored the trends from the beginning of November observed that while other laboratories sent test results, the 48 laboratories consistently failed to submit reports.
The Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 had made preparations for the testing of inbound passengers of interest. Recently, the PSC had accused some passengers of continually shunning testing.
Also, the NCDC maintained on its website that only three people had so far tested positive for the new Omicron COVID-19 strain despite the fact that at least 23 travellers from Nigeria tested positive in the United Kingdom and Canada.
The development came just as Canada stated that it would no longer accept any PCR test that was conducted in Nigeria. The development comes just days after Canada barred persons from Nigeria from visiting the country.
An inquiry sent to the NCDC on Sunday had not yet been responded to as of press time.
A travel advisory on its website read in part, “Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and people with status under the Indian Act who have been in these countries—Botswana, Egypt, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zimbabwe—in the 14 days before travel to Canada will be required to: Obtain, within 72 hours of departure, a valid negative COVID-19 molecular test in a third country before continuing their journey to Canada.”
US demands negative test from travellers regardless of vaccination status
In a related development, the United States has said all travellers two years and older must present negative test results before boarding a flight, regardless of vaccination status or citizenship.
The US Centre for Disease Control in an updated travel advisory said the passengers’ test results should be taken no more than one day before travel, or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days, before they board their flight.
The regulation, updated on December 2, amended its October 25, 2021 Order, titled, ‘Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Recovery from COVID-19 for All Air Passengers Arriving in the United States.’
It takes effect from December 6.