*Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, urges Nigerians to adhere to recommended public health safety measures as the regulatory agency’s COVID-19 National Emergency Operations Centre continues to review the global COVID-19 situation ‘over the coming week’

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Following the West African country’s recent approval of the immediate relaxation of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) safety measures and travel advisory, Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has declared the travel restrictions the Federal Government implemented to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of the ravaging virus achieved no public health benefit.

ConsumerConnect reports the Nigerian Government early December 2022, had suspended adherence to COVID-19 safety measures, including the suspension of all pre-departure, pre-boarding, and post-arrival PCR test requirements in the country.

Dr. Adetifa said the NCDC was tracking COVID-19 trends in foreign countries, including China, US, UK, South Africa and India.

In a series of tweets Sunday, January 1, 2023, the infectious disease expert also stated that the restrictions impacted negatively on individuals and businesses in Nigeria.

He recalled: “Recent experience in Nigeria with the arrival of Omicron showed travel restrictions did not have any public health benefits, but were disruptive for persons and businesses.

“COVID-19 has and continues to follow a different course (epidemiology in Nigeria and most of Africa).”

The Nigerian population is significantly protected from a combination of natural infection and vaccination, said he.

According to Adetifa, sequel to a meeting of the NCDC COVID-19 National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) held Saturday, December 31, 2022, Adetifa the EOC would continue to review the ongoing COVID-19 situation “over the coming week.”

He further said: “At the next review and if deemed necessary, a range of actions, not limited to enhanced surveillance of travellers at airports, may be implemented.

“We advise Nigerians to make use of every opportunity the Federal Government has provided via the @NphcdaNG to get vaccinated, i.e., receive your primary vaccination which can be two or a single vaccine dose.

“If you have received two vaccine doses already, go get your booster.”

He stated: “If you have received one booster dose already, please go get your second booster dose.

“If you belong in any of the high-risk categories (old age, etc), kindly ensure you adhere to recommended public health safety measures – mask use, hand hygiene and avoiding crowded spaces.”