The Lagos State Government has asked Nigerians to expect the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country in December.
Anaedoonline.ng reports that the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, made this known at a press conference on Friday.
The commissioner said as Nigerians prepare to celebrate Christmas and New Year celebrations, more passengers would come into the country from high-burden countries.
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Stating that the influx of passengers into the country might increase the spread of the virus and open residents to more risk.
He, however, lamented the low vaccination rate in Nigeria, adding that the current rate of the response across the country might lead to a fourth wave of the pandemic.
He said, “Many Nigerians staying abroad will be returning home to celebrate Christmas with their families. Most of these people will be coming from countries where there is a heavy burden of COVID-19 and where we know the virus is changing and mutating.
“The potential drivers of the fourth wave in Lagos and Nigeria are passengers arriving, especially from heavy-burdened countries in Europe and the United States into Lagos. About 86 per cent of all inbound flights into Nigeria come through Lagos.
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“It is only inevitable that if passengers are travelling in large numbers from these countries where they are about to experience the fourth and fifth wave, we should expect some activities in Lagos as a result of these movements. At the current rate of the response across the country, we are likely going to encounter a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2021.”
He added: “The other problem we have in Lagos and Nigeria is that our rate of vaccination has been quite low; it is just below three per cent, whereas our target should be over 40 per cent. Many countries around the world have exceeded 50 per cent vaccination of the eligible population.
“At the current rate of the response across the country, we are likely going to encounter a fourth wave of the COVID19 pandemic in December 2021. Lagos State has only vaccinated about 2.6 per cent of its population, leaving it susceptible to a fourth wave.”
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