We Can't Eradicate Covid-19 Until...., Ogun Health Commissioner Admits

Dr. Tomi Coker 

ABEOKUTA - The Commissioner for Health in Ogun State, Dr.  Tomi Coker on Monday disclosed that, the ravaging covid-19 pandemic cannot be totally eradicated until 70% of the citizens get immune to the vaccine. 

Dr. Coker stated this when executive members of Federated Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State Council paid her a courtesy visit. 

The Health Commissioner noted that, the state government has contained the spread of the virus, calling on the media to scale up the risk communication in getting the message of the second wave to the grassroots. 

She added that, the transmission rate of the second wave of the disease is between 60-70%, saying the disease is not for the rich alone calling for collaborative efforts of the media.

"I will like to appreciate you journalists for the role they played in community to the grassroots during the pandemic because no matter how we shout loud here it would never get to the grassroots unless you carry out that message well and you did that very well. 

"The disease is contained as much as we can in Ogun, we still need to scale up our risk communication, that getting the message particularly the second wave down to the grassroots, it's spreading even more. The transmission rate is between 60-70%.

"So, we have to get that out.  It is not the disease of the rich. For us to contain it and eradicate it in Nigeria, we all have to work hand in hand as a collaboration between us and the Media. 

"But challenge before us in the next few months is to actually get the message of the safety of the vaccine out to the grassroots. 

"We can't eradicate covid-19 until 70% of the citizens is immune to it. So we have to start that leg work now even before we the vaccine arrives here."