The Edo State government on Thursday threatened to deny doctors that are yet to receive the COVID-19 vaccine access to their patients from next week.
The Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Health, Dr. Osamwonyi Irowa, who disclosed this at a briefing on COVID-19 in Benin City, said teachers who have not been vaccinated would not be allowed access into classrooms.
He added that other public servants who are yet to receive the vaccine would be denied access to government offices.
Irowa said the state recorded 49 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths within 24 hours.
The development, according to him, brought the total number of fatalities since the onset of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Edo to 33.
The permanent secretary said the state government was worried that many people are not ready to take the vaccines and are moving freely without adhering to COVID-19 protocols.
He said: “The state government has reached a decision that unvaccinated persons will not access banks, worship, and event centres. It will expire middle of this month.
“So, teachers would not be allowed to enter schools’ premises because we don’t want our children to be infected.
“Doctors, nurses and other health workers will not be allowed to attend to patients and likewise other civil servants and those coming to do business in government’s offices across the state.”
