‘A chance to stay alive’: NLC appeals to workers to take COVID-19 vaccine

President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba on Monday urged workers across the country to take the COVID-19 vaccine for ‘a chance to stay alive’.

Wabba’s appeal follows the recent directive of the federal government that civil servants who refuse to be vaccinated will need to show test results, confirming that they are negative before they can access public offices, beginning from December 1.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the nation’s capital, the NLC president appealed to workers to take advantage of vaccination provisions made by the federal government, in order to reduce hospitalisations and fatalities among workers.

He noted that, while health issues need to be approached with great caution, it would be foolhardy to undermine the protective powers of vaccines against the virus.

“The truth is that despite being imperfect, the COVID-19 vaccine has given all of us a better chance of fighting the virus and staying alive,” Wabba said.

He continued, “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought some of the biggest strains, stress and squeeze to the workplace. Thousands of workers have already died. In fact, just last week, the World Health Organisation posited that as of the third week of October, we have lost about 180,000 frontline health workers.

“I understand some people prefer to view COVID-19 vaccination with caution. Yes, it is important to proceed on issues of public health with great caution. Yet, it would be foolhardy to elevate caution above scientific evidence and facts from public health records.

“I urge workers all over the world to take advantage of the COVID-19 vaccines and keep themselves, their families and their colleagues at work safe and free from the morbid threats of the corona pandemic.”