Boss MustaphaChairman of the Presidential Task Force on Coronavirus, Boss Mustapha has warned against misinformation on the Coronavirus vaccine which he said can be fatal.
“A lot of misinformation about COVID-19 is currently being circulated through various mass and traditional channels. Traditional leaders, who are custodians of the peoples culture and values, must be very discerning to guide our people aright. Please endeavour to verify any information that you cannot link to any credible source. We are all accessible to you. Please seek factual information as rumour and misinformation are very dangerous and can be fatal.”
Boss Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), spoke today, January 28, at the 2021 first quarterly meeting of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on primary health care delivery in Abuja.
The Presidential Task Force chairman, insisted that a more lasting layer of prevention against Coronavirus is the availability of vaccines “to enable us achieve herd immunity so that our lives can return to normal.
“But for us to achieve this, every eligible person must be vaccinated when it is their turn to be administered the COVID-19 vaccine.”
Boss Mustapha announced that Nigeria is set to receive the first batch of the vaccine by February 2021, adding: “we have all it takes – the expertise, the human and material resources and indeed the support of our traditional leaders.”
Boss Mustapha, who warned that Coronavirus is real and that “we are currently battling with the ferocious nature of the second wave of the pandemic,” said that NPHCDA, a Federal Government Agency with responsibility for vaccine related matters has brought together highly professional and dedicated multi sectoral team to drive the process of introducing safe and efficacious COVID-19.
“Let me assure all Nigerians that the Federal Government is committed to working with all critical stakeholders, including traditional leaders to defeat this deadly virus.”
He regretted that in spite of the high rate of infections and fatality, the testing is still not enough.
“What this means is that the figures we are having now may just be a tip of the iceberg when you also take into consideration the fact that a lot of persons are asymptomatic.
“This virus is no respecter of persons. It has affected every group of persons in our society including the traditional institution. This is why we must come together as one people with one voice to use our influence to promote both the non-pharmaceutical preventive measures and vaccination.
“Traditional rulers are highly reverend in our society, it is important that we leverage on this divine influence to instill in our people the sense of taking responsibility for themselves and their loved ones by wearing facemasks, observing hand hygiene, physical distancing, avoiding large gatherings and unnecessary travels.”
The Task Force chairman expressed the confidence that with the support of the traditional rulers and that of other well-meaning Nigerians, “we will overcome this pandemic and restore our socio-economic lives.”
