Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki on Monday said only residents in the state that have been vaccinated against COVID-19 would be allowed to access banking services, other social activities beginning from the second week of September.
Obaseki, who made the disclosure at the flag-off of the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination exercise in Benin City, said everyone in the state would need to present proof of vaccination to access the services while the unvaccinated would have to access large gatherings remotely.
The resolutions, according to the governor, was not to create hardship but to protect the lives of every citizen amid the rising third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
The governor, while lamenting the surge of COVID-19 cases, said that the state government has decided to mitigate the spike by pushing for vaccine uptake among Edo residents.
“With what we have seen so far, the COVID-19 pandemic is here to stay, this is the third wave and there is nothing that points to the fact that other waves will not come. What we are likely to see is intermittent waves of this pandemic.
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“We are not going to shut down Edo State but we will make sure we protect all Edo citizens. Therefore, I have come out with the following regulations, beginning from the second week of September 2021, large gatherings, as well as high traffic in public and private places, will only be accessed by persons who have proof of taking at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
“People will not be allowed to worship in churches and mosques without showing proof of their vaccination cards at the gates. Similarly, people will not be allowed to event centres for parties or receptions without showing proof of vaccination cards at the gates of these occasions.
“Also, you will not be allowed to access banking services in Edo State from the middle of September if you have not been vaccinated. If you want to do undertake banking services, then you will do so remotely from your homes,” Obaseki said.
He explained that 6,306 samples have so far been collected in the state of which 203 cases have been confirmed and four persons have died from the third wave.
“What is interesting is that about 96 percent of all the confirmed cases were those people that have not been vaccinated, and the four persons that died were not vaccinated. So, it tells you how important for us to get vaccinated if we are going to stand a chance of fighting these infections.
“We have two sets of vaccines which are Moderna, which was just received, and AstraZeneca vaccines for those who have not taken a second dose of it. he added.
He further said that adequate arrangements have been made with security agencies to prevent anybody who does not have a vaccination card from accessing any of the large gatherings.
He expressed hope that within the next one year, at least 60 percent of citizens who live in Edo would be vaccinated so as to achieve herd immunity against the pandemic.
