The Governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said the state runs the risk of experiencing a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sanwo-Olu stated this while flagging off a COVID-19 mass vaccination programme on Wednesday.
The programme aims to vaccinate four million residents before the end of 2021.
The Lagos COVID vaccination campaign, which is in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), will cover residents who are 18 years and above.
Speaking during the event, Sanwo-Olu said the mass vaccination campaign is necessary to prevent the “catastrophic” events witnessed in the previous waves, considering that the state’s borders would be opened to all during the festive season.
“There is potential for the fourth wave of COVID-19, as our borders would be opened to all people coming into Lagos in December.
“To prevent the catastrophic events we witnessed in the previous waves, the state has developed a robust vaccination drive, leveraging on both the strengths we have in the public and private sectors of our healthcare system.
“In development of our strategy and counter-measures, we prioritise the protection of human lives and keeping our economy open for business.
“To mitigate against this potential damage that will further spread existing variants of COVID-19 in the state, and accelerate efforts towards herd immunity, the need for a different strategy became a front-burner issue.
“This is what has culminated in the campaign tagged ‘Count Me In! 4 million Lagosians Vaccinated Against COVID-19’ to target the full vaccination of 4 million Lagos residents before the end of December 2021.
“Once achieved, this will bring the state closer to reaching our promise to vaccinate 30 percent of our population within one year,” Sanwo-Olu said.
