The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government to explore persuasive dialogue rather than force to get workers and the general populace to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
The president of the NLC and International Trade Union Confederation, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, made this call during a press conference on the need for workers and other citizens to take the COVID-19 vaccination today (October 25) in Abuja, just as the government prepares to mass-vaccinate the populace against the COVID-19 virus.
Recall that the government recently announced the mass vaccination through federal government institutions, shopping malls, markets, schools, religious bodies etc.
Quoting a study conducted by the United States Centre for Disease Control at the end of May 2021, Wabba said it showed that there was about 63 per cent drop in hospital visitations after the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as a 63 per cent drop in hospital admissions post-vaccination and 66 per cent drop in mortality for those aged 18 to 49 after the vaccination.
He noted that though some people prefer to view COVID-19 vaccination with caution, it would be foolhardy to elevate caution above scientific evidence and facts from public health records.
“The biggest lesson of the pandemic is that amidst the worst crisis, the human race can rise to the challenge with great resourcefulness and resilience. Apart from accelerated scientific efforts at understanding the epidemiology of the virus, science has raised the bar a little higher with the breakthrough discovery of a vaccine for COVID-19 which has helped reduce the death rate and hospital admission,” he said.
Wabba maintained that despite being imperfect, the COVID-19 vaccine has given the world a better chance of fighting the virus and staying alive.
“I urge workers all over the world to take advantage of the COVID-19 vaccines and keep themselves, their families and colleagues at work safe and free from the morbid threats of the Corona pandemic,” he added.
