Delta State government will on Monday, September 20, begin compulsory vaccination of civil servants against the third wave of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the state.
The government said the exercise which would run till Wednesday, October 6, 2021, is to tackle the spread of the disease.
The announcement is contained in a circular signed by Reginald Bayoko, head of service (HoS) on Friday, September 17, 2021 and made available to newsmen in Asaba.
This is coming after a similar directive was issued on March 5, this year on the pandemic and the enforcement of preventive protocols in the state public service.
“Further to our circular Ref No. HOS 115/38 on March 5, 2021, on the above mentioned subject and the subsequent outbreak of the third-wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Executive Council (SEC) has directed that all public servants in the state should be vaccinated, stated Bayoko.
According to him, “Arising from the foregoing, the Delta State Primary Health Care Development Agency, has set up COVID-19 vaccination sites at the state government secretariat.
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The circular directed all permanent secretaries and heads of extra ministerial departments to ensure that all staff in the various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) participate in the exercise “without fail”.
He stated that the content of the circular should be brought to all staff for their information, guidance and compliance.
Charles Aniagwu, the state commissioner for information earlier in the week, told newsmen that the state government had provided six vaccination points in each local government area and markets across the state and urged residents to make themselves available for vaccination in order to curtail the spread of the pandemic and the Delta variant.
Asked whether the state government would make the vaccination compulsory for every citizen, Aniagwu said it was necessary people live responsibly by observing the non-pharmaceutical measures of regular hand washing, wearing of facemask and social distancing as well as making themselves for the vaccine.
According to him, there are six points of vaccination in every local government area and markets across the state and the state.
He frowned against religious leaders that are telling their members not to receive the vaccine.
He said, “Individuals need to be socially responsible. It’s already clear that COVID-19 is a deadly disease. The responsibility to stay alive is first of all your own. It is the responsibility of government to intervene to prevent you from using your carelessness to kill another person.
“The government protects the society while the individuals will first of all take personal responsibility. As a government, we will not allow you to make everybody to benefit from your less regard for life.
So, we are pleading with religious bodies not to make communications that will undermine the need for our people to stay alive, he said.
“We are already aware that COVID-19 is a moving train. So, anybody who goes into the closet in the name of evangelism or any religion and make you believe that you don’t need to protect yourself by observing the non-pharmaceutical measures and at the same time subjecting yourself to vaccination, that person cannot be said to be telling you what is truly written in whichever book that he is preaching to you from.
That is why we are urging our religious leaders to assist us in this fight against COVID-19, he said.
