By Williams Anuku Abuja
Strong indications emerged on Thursday, that the Nigerian government is patiently awaiting any vaccine from the international community that would prove effective in treating Covid-19.
There are also indications that the country maybe making overtures to Russia to see how it can procure the vaccine resently announced by that country.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Covid 19, Boss Mustapha gave the hint, at a national briefing to update Nigerians on control measures for coronavirus.
He made allusion to Russia which has commenced trial of a vaccine to curb the virus, saying Nigeria was following the development and would ensure the country is not left out in an event of any breakthrough.
“The country has effectively entered the second week of the extended eased lock down phase and the PTF continues to monitor global and National trends in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Globally, the world continues to pursue the search for a vaccine with over 1000 trials on-going and different claims of levels of success. We note particularly, the announcement by the President of Russia on the breakthrough in the development of a vaccine even as we study the developments.
“Fighting the pandemic successfully will take a global effort and Nigeria will not be left out whenever and where ever progress is made. However, the health and safety of Nigerians will always remain our priority in the pursuit of a solution, “he stated.
Even though the curve of infections in the country was sliding downwards, the SGF warned that it should not be misconstrued that the virus has been defeated.
His words,” The PTF wishes to note as we have done before that fewer numbers of confirmed cases have been recorded in the last two weeks. This should never be misconstrued as victory over the virus. There is still a serious battle to be fought ahead of us as a people and as a country. It is, important, therefore, that we continue to build on our successes and not do anything to detract from them.
“For us in Nigeria, we shall remain focused on propagating the use of proven avoidance methods to break the transmission of the virus and effective case management to care for and treat infected persons.
“The ravaging effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy should provide more compelling reasons for us all to leave no stone un-turned in fighting this pandemic”.
