COVID-19: Getting vaccinated is a choice for civil servants- FG

The Federal Government has said that federal civil servants are not obligated to get vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus.

Various news agencies in Nigeria had earlier reported that the federal government had mandated COVID-19 vaccination for all federal workers.

At a press conference in Abuja, on Thursday, The Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, explained that federal civil servants were not mandated to take the vaccine but must, however, show negative COVID-19 PCR test.

He said, “The Presidential Steering Committee (PSC), on Wednesday, announced interventions to, not only protect the most vulnerable people in our society but to also ensure that the workplace is safe for all citizens. Clearly, there is a loss of productivity and its impact on socio-economic development when workers are unable to come to work on a regular, and consistent basis due to outbreaks of an infectious disease such as COVID-19.

“Following advice by public health experts, the PSC announced that all Federal Government employees should make a choice as to how they can contribute towards making the work environment COVID-19-free. The logical choice is between taking the vaccine and showing the evidence or presenting proof that one is COVID-19-free by showing a negative PCR test taken 72 hours prior.

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“This provision is applicable to all Federal Government institutions. The decision to release the advisory was not taken lightly. It is part of the PSC and Federal Ministry of Health’s mantra to always use scientific evidence to make decisions for the benefit of all Nigerians.”

Shuaib also said that there are enough vaccines to cover the population of Federal Government employees and more, and a comprehensive analysis and forecast on the availability of COVID-19 vaccines has already been done by PSC.

“Based on delivery forecasts from the COVAX facility and African Union, Nigeria will have adequate vaccines to cover more that 50 per cent of eligible populations by the end of the first quarter of 2022. In order words, please do not worry about the availability of vaccines because we have the supply chain figured out already,” he added.

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