COVID-19 Still Very Much Around — NCDC DG

Director-General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu has urged Nigerians not to believe that COVID-19 has been eradicated in the country.

Ihekweazu made this known on Saturday at a live webinar for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) 2021 Batch B members.

The programme was tagged: “Protecting the health of the Nigerian youth – sustaining safe NYSC orientation camps.”

The programme was initiated to provide enlightenment on the measures put in place to ensure safe reopening of NYSC orientation camps.

Ihekweazu called for collaboration with corps members to ensure sustenance of the measures.

He said: “The mistake we can all make is to think the #COVID19 virus has gone away.

“Corps members have to work collaboratively with us to sustain the goals we have made in mitigating the risk of transmission in orientation camps.”

Dr Oyeladun Okunromade of NCDC disclosed the corps members are to fill a COVID-19 case investigation form (CIF) for registration and test at the orientation camp.

Okunromade announced: “All prospective corps members must fill a COVID-19 self-reporting case investigation form (CIF) on their NYSC dashboard.

“This form will be presented at various orientation camps on deployment for registration and rapid diagnostic test (RDT).”

Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim advised the corps members to adhere to all preventive measures.

Ibrahim revealed there will be consequences for defaulters.

Ibrahim said: “Camp is still fun notwithstanding the constraints of the prevention measures.

“It is vital that corps members adhere to all prevention measures.

“There are camp vanguards to ensure disciplinary actions for defaults.”