NLC to Workers: Take COVID-19 vaccine for ‘a chance to stay alive’

The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, has asked workers across the country to take the COVID-19 vaccine for a chance to stay alive.

He made the appeal on Monday in Abuja, but said getting vaccinated should not be made mandatory by the government.

Wabba, who spoke at a news conference, appealed to workers to take advantage of vaccination provisions made by the Federal Government in order to reduce hospitalisations and fatalities among them.

He said: “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.

“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.”