Everybody is aware of the regression caused by the sudden attack of the Covid-19 Pandemic to pertinent sectors of various polities and economies around the world.
Today, the world has gone from cowering away from the Covid-19 Pandemic to implementing critical decisions and treatments in the form of vaccinations and other possible preventive measures.
After several nations, including Nigeria, suffered major crippling activities that had a long-term devastating effect on the social-economic, political, religious lifestyle and relationships of the affected people, the need to fight the coronavirus was at the helm of every discussion globally.
As we speak, there is the ongoing production of vaccines to tackle the spread of the virus. Several nations all across the world have already successfully administered to citizens. They are also conducting further research to ascertain how the virus can be eliminated, even if the present reality is that it can only be managed and not treated for the time being.
And as events unfold, reports regarding the covid-19 pandemic from the World Health Organisation, WHO, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, and other relevant global health agencies, are centred around the various vaccines introduced to societies and their administration.
Just recently, WHO issued a press release to educate people on “How to Talk About Vaccines,” revealing concrete details regarding steps and reasons people need to be vaccinated.
Usually, WHO releases series of explainers on vaccine development and distribution, explaining how these vaccines work and how they are manufactured to ensure citizens that it’s safe with fair access.
So, in educating the public on how to have conversations about vaccinations, the health body first advised medical experts to ensure they listen with empathy and ask open-ended questions to hospital patients.
The health organization further advised medical practitioners not to dismiss patients and acknowledge how they feel, especially when they have questions regarding the vaccination process.
As suggested by WHO in this context, they recommended approaches include applying some open-ended questions and conversations regarding “What have you heard about the COVID vaccines?” or “Why do you feel that way?”. In their findings, these questions elicit a response other than “yes” or “no” and help you better understand their concerns and assist the other person in working through their thoughts.
Before vaccinating a patient, medical experts have been told to help look for additional information for patients. In the practical sense, asking permission from patients might make them more cooperative rather than perceiving some form of cajoling and forcing them to accept unwanted information.
WHO report partly states that the public can also check local health department websites and consult with other trusted and expert sources within that vicinity.
Also, since vaccination is the order of the day, an update on the Covid-19 pandemic and ways citizens of various countries can survive it, WHO hinted that people should explore reasons for vaccination.
Speaking to Doctors and other medical practitioners at the forefront of the fight against corona, they were advised to talk to patients about how vaccination can help against COVID-19 and present a road that leads to a better life.
Medical Experts have been urged to “Explain the benefits of vaccination, whether it’s being able to revisit family and friends, return to the office, get children back to school, spend time with classmates or other interactions and activities that have been strained because of COVID-19.” The report states.
An important topic of discussion people need to be considering is how organizations and vaccinators can help boost vaccine confidence. Although so many countries have found ways to encourage citizens to be vaccinated, it’s clear that extra efforts need to be made to get the message across to people living in communities where communication and information dissemination is limited.
On its part, WHO explained that a range of organizations within and beyond the health sector could key into the struggle and contribute their quota in playing a significant role in disseminating accurate and precise information about vaccination and its benefits.
“Almost everyone can play their part by knowing the basics of vaccination and the reliable sources for more details and openly expressing their enthusiasm for getting vaccinated.”
In Nigeria, there has been a successful implementation of plans initiated by the Presidential Task Force, PTF on Covid-19, and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, to manage the continuous spread of the virus.
To that note, NCDC released a compilation of all the approaches and steps taken within the year in combating the virus. The footage is titled ”The Coordination, Collaboration and Solidarity: One Year of Nigeria’s #COVID19 Response Journey.”
While significant progress has been attained, there are still cases of limited covid-19 infections around the nation. The recent report released by the NCDC noted that until May 23, Nigeria had recorded 166,019 confirmed cases, 156,476 cases have been discharged, and 2067 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory FCT.
It would be noted that the figures listed above are subjected to changes due to the new number of cases as events unfold.
Meanwhile, NCDC has also stated that it would initiate a multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre, EOC, activated at Level 2, and to coordinate national response activities.
In a post it made on Facebook, May 23, NCDC revealed that it would continue to work with the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, particularly as orientation camps resume.
The goal is to conduct covid-19 testing for all the incoming corps members and the camp officials across all states in the country.
”We remain committed to working with major stakeholders to ensure adherence to public health safety measures,” NCDC stated.
Before concluding, it would be pertinent to note that 220 Countries and Territories worldwide have reported a total of 167,572,537 confirmed cases of the coronavirus with a death toll of 3,479,478 and still counting.