11052021 - Insecurity: Bandits attack Katsina mosque, abduct 10

4 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 11 , 2021
COVID-19: Poor adherence to safety guidelines
threatening efforts to avert 3rd wave — NCDC
As FG enforces new travel protocols .By Chioma Obinna,
Lawani Mikairu, Dirisu
Yakubu, Bashir Bello
& Davis Ihemnachor
FOLLOWING warnings
by the World Health
Organisation, WHO, of a
high risk of third wave of
COVID-19 infections in
Africa and Nigeria in
particular, the Nigeria
Centre for Disease Control,
NCDC, has raised the
alarm that the nonadherance
of Nigerians to
the COVID-19 safety
guidelines is threatening
efforts geared towards
preventing a third wave of
coronavirus infections in
the country.
Last week, the Indian
variant of interest known as
B.1.617, was confirmed in
Kenya. The East African
country's health ministry
had last Wednesday
announced that the strain
had been detected in five
Indian nationals who
arrived in the country
before a ban on flights from
India took effect.
Uganda was the first
African country to report
the variant. The Uganda
Virus Research Institute
(UVRI) said the strain was
discovered in travellers
returning from India.
Report also revealed that
South Africa was on edge
after 14 crew members of a
ship from India docked in
Durban, tested positive for
COVID-19.
However, in a chat with
Good Health Weekly, the
NCDC Director-General,
Dr Chikwe Iheakweazu,
lamented that while the
government is
continuously
strengthening the
country’s response
capacity, Nigerians were
not adhering as expected
to the required measures
in place to prevent a surge
in new cases.
He alerted that now that
the Indian varriant of
interest is spreading, there
is poor adherence to public
health and social measures
across the country.
According to him, people
are not wearing their face
masks or practicing
physical distancing.
“We know from the
experience in other
countries that a large
outbreak can quickly
cripple the public health
system.
“So, we appeal to all
Nigerians to take collective
responsibility in
preventing a surge in
cases in our country.
Please wash your hands
regularly, wear a face mask
properly in public settings
and practice physical,” he
A passenger being screened on arrival at the Muritala Muhammed International
Airport, in Lagos
added.
Ihekweazu who
explained that the
implementation of the
guidelines on quarantine
is being led by the
Department of Port Health
Services, with support
from State Ministries of
Health and other relevant
government agencies,
noted that states are
working very hard with
support from the relevant
Departments and
Agencies,
in
implementing the
measures that are in place
to reduce the risk of an
increase in COVID-19
cases in Nigeria.
“In order to prevent the
use of fake COVID-19
results, we introduced a
result verification platform
for travellers together with
Port Health Services and
other relevant agencies.
With this platform, it is
easier to detect fake
COVID-19 PCR test
results.
“The Presidential Task
Force on COVID-19 has
mandated that individuals
who present with fake
results are prosecuted
according to the law,”
On adherence to the
isolation protocol,
Ihekweazu said states like
Lagos have announced
use of its EKOTELEMED
to monitor travellers on
arrival, in addition to
deploying surveillance
officers to enforce the
isolation protocol. He
further said that the
responsibility also lies with
citizens.
“We appeal to all
travellers to adhere to the
Nigerian travel protocol
including self-isolation
and post-arrival PCR tests.
These measures are in
place to protect you, your
family and loved ones.”
On testing, he disclsoed
that COVID-19 tests has
declined while the
laboratories established
across the country continue
to maintain their
operations.
“We have been working
with states to raise demand
for testing among members
of the public. Additionally,
we have been supporting
the roll out of approved
Antigen-based Rapid
Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) in
hospitals, at the recently
concluded National Sports
Festival and others. These
are not as accurate as the
PCR test, but provide a
rapid means of detecting
cases especially in large
groups.
“We appeal to schools
especially those with
accommodation facilities,
hospitals and workplaces to
adopt the regular use of
Ag-RDTs to ensure testing
continues,” he avowed.
FG enforces new
travel protocols at
MMIA
Following directives from
the Presidential Steering
Committee on COVID-19
that non-Nigerians and
non-residents in Nigeria
who had stayed in India,
Brazil or Turkey two weeks
prior to their trip to Nigeria
should be denied entry,
airlines and passengers
from international routes
have been complying with
the new travel protocol.
Vanguard investigations
reveal that the level and
intensity of screening has
been intensified for
inbound passengers
arriving the international
airport in Lagos, Abuja and
Kano from the countries
currently suffering from the
second and third waves of
the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the Muritala
Muhammed International
Airport, MMIA, Lagos, the
screening and surveillance
of all arriving passengers
has intensified even as the
Port Health officials are
giving special attention to
passengers on flights from
Brazil, India and Turkey.
Speaking with Vanguard
on the new directives from
the Presidential Steering
Committee, the South West
Regional Manager of the
Federal Airports Authority
of Nigeria, FAAN, Mrs
Victoria Sina -Aba said there
has been substantial
compliance with the new
directives by the Lagos
airport officials responsible
for screening passengers
and flights.
She also said FAAN has
put measures in place to
ensure compliance by the
various agencies at the
airport, even as she said the
airlines have been
complying with the new
directives.
"Yes, the airlines are
complying with the new
directives from the
Presidential Steering
Committee on COVID-19.
Port Health is monitoring
flights and passengers
from these three countries
and other countries in line
with the new protocols, " she
noted.
When our correspondent
visited the airport, Port
Health officials were
observed strictly enforcing
the guidelines. All
incoming passengers
particularly from Brazil,
India and Turkey, were
thoroughly screened to
ensure that they comply
with the new COVID-19
protocols.
A passenger, who
pleaded anonymity, told
Vanguard that he came in
from France, and that even
though the new screening
protocols is tough on
passengers, it is a
welcome development.
"It is in everybody's
interest and safety. We
should curtail the spread
of this dreaded virus. I
pray Nigeria does not
experience third wave, "
he said.
Strict enforcement
in Abuja airport
At the Nnamdi Azikiwe
International Airport,
Abuja, strict enforcement of
the new travel protocols is
also as airlines and
passengers are
demonstrating eagerness
to comply.
Vanguard investigation
showed that in addition to
the compulsory use of face
masks and routine hand
sanitizing, the Nigerian
Civil Aviation Authority,
NCAA, Federal Airport
Authority of Nigeria,
FAAN and other relevant
bodies are collaborating to
ensure compliance with
all COVID-19 related
protocols.
In a chat with Vanguard,
the Director of Press and
Public Affairs, Federal
Ministry of Aviation, Mr
James Odaudu, said all
international airlines are
expected to comply,
adding however that those
found to have violated the
directive would be
punished appropriately.
“All airlines plying the
routes are adequately
informed and therefore,
there is no need for any
enforcement for them to
comply. However there
are penalties for
disobedience to a
country’s civil aviation
regulations."
An NCAA official
however assured that all
international airlines
operating at the airport are
adhering strictly to the
Provisional Quarantine
Protocol earlier put in place
by the Presidential
Taskforce on COVID-19.
He added that though
the coronavirus is on its
way "out of our lives",
passengers are still
expected to test negative
by polymerase chain
reaction (PCR) from the
country of exit four days
(96 hours) before
departure. Tests done
more than 96 hours before
departure are not valid.
"Passengers are required
to fill in an online Health
Declaration/Self-
Reporting Form located on
the Nigeria International
Travel Portal which must be
submitted online or
printed for presentation on
arrival. Information
provided must be
verifiable," he stated.
Full compliance in
Kano airport
In Kano, Vanguard
gathered at the Malam
Aminu Kano International
Airport, MAKIA, that as
international flights
resumed, only flights by
Ethiopian Airlines and
Egypt Air have been
arriving and taking off from
the airport for travellers to
and from Egypt and to the
lesser Hajj. No flights from
Europe or other
destinations have been
recorded.
At the airport, our
correspondent observed
some level of preparedness
to ensure compliance to the
COVID-19 protocols with
social distancing, use of
face masks, hand washing
and hand sanitizer at
specific points of the
linternational wing of the
airport.
As at the time our
correspondent visited the
airport, no flight had
arrived or departed and
there were no passengers
around.
Port Harcourt
airport gears up
Management of the
International Wing of the
Port Harcourt International
Airport, Omagwa, Rivers
State, said it is concluding
arrangements to carry out
a dry run of its facilities to
resume flight operations
soon.
The management said it
resumed operations on the
5th of May but full
operations would resume
after test-runs on the
facility.
When Vanguard visited
the facility on Monday, the
offices were opened with
cleaners carrying on their
responsibilities.
Some senior staff
members also resumed
activities, but airline
companies were yet to
commence operations.
A source within the
Operations Department of
the Airport said:
"Operations will resume at
the International Wing of
the Port Harcourt
International Airport,
Omagwa, Port Harcourt on
the 18th of May when the
first flight may arrive.
Everybody is getting ready
even the COVID-19 teams.
Mr. Kunle Akinbode, a
senior Staff in the same
Department said official
statement on the
preparedness of the
International Wing of the
airport would be made
soon.
He noted that the
terminal was ready to
receive flights from the
18th of May, adding that a
dry-run on the facility
would be carried out in the
facility on the 17th.