08 Feb 2022

The Deputy Controller of the National Pandemic Response Dr Daoni Esorom has expressed concern over people’s non-adherence to COVID-19 protocols and the measures and directives put out through the Controller’s office.

“In the midst of a surge in the number of cases in the country, there’s still large sections of the population who are not adhering to the measures and directives put up by the National Control Centre through the Controller’s Office. The non- adherence to these measures is resulting in the increasing number of cases currently being seen,” said Dr Daoni.

Dr Daoni has warned that as a result of non-compliance, a lot of people will become infected and it will affect a lot of staff or working people both in the private and the public sectors.

“The NCC is receiving reports that most workplaces currently have more that 50 per cent of their staff who are infected and a lot of staff are absent from work,” Dr Daoni said.

These, he warned, will affect government services being delivered by public servants and will affect companies’ bottle lines.

He also reminded people that the current surge is predicted to end in March, but will be prolonged if people do not adhere to COVID-19 measures.

“It may even extend into the election period where it is anticipated that there will be a lot of crowd and congregation of people and campaign houses set up. The only way to flatten the curve in the current surge is to fully adhere to the COVID-19 protocols. This includes getting tested if anyone presents with COVID-19 symptoms and most importantly getting vaccinated,” he said.

Dr Daoni has encouraged the vulnerable people, who are mainly frontline workers; people with existing medical conditions and old people to get vaccinated. He also encouraged the vulnerable, even if they are fully vaccinated, to get their boosters.

“Getting boosters will improve these people’s immunity and protect them against the current variant of COVID-19,” he said.