COVID-19 Delta variant: FG rules out lockdown option

The Federal Government on Thursday declared that a total lockdown will be the last resort in its bid to contain widespread of the Delta variant of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic.

This came as the government cited the effects of lockdowns on the economy generally.

Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, who spoke to newsmen during a ministerial briefing organised by the Presidential Communication Team in the State House, Abuja, also assured that the new variant of the virus does not pose a sufficient threat to justify a lockdown of any form.

Ehanire said that countries have been a bit circumspect in the decision to impose total lockdowns as was seen at the beginning of the outbreak last year.

He added that administrators would rather employ precision lockdowns on specific areas of the country that have come under threat.

He also revealed that apart from the vaccines sourced free of charge, Nigeria has so far paid for about 30 million doses of Johnson&Johnson doses.

According to him, since the prices of the one-shot vaccine have dropped, Nigeria plans to facilitate the purchase of about 40 million doses of the vaccines in all.

Ehanire said the 176,000 doses of the Johnson&Johnson doses have also been received while the rest would arrive in batches.

He assured that the majority of vaccines used in the country will be bought by the government rather than depending on those freely donated by other countries.