The Port Health Services (PHS) at Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport said they have taken proactive measures to prevent the importation of the new variant of COVID-19 into the country.
The officer in charge, Omede Ogu, assured this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.
Ogu said that the information about the new variant was posted on the PHS emergency platform and that other agencies at the airport are also aware of the emergency.
“Our mandate is health security at the point of entry, and it covers both routine and emergency situations,” he said.
“The ambulances are in good condition and our clinics around the track are in perfect condition to review any type of emergency and the facilities are inspected daily.”
He said staff receive training on a weekly basis to keep them up to date on the steps to take when dealing with emergencies like this.
“Our staff are on the ground and our structures are constantly being checked, so we reassure everyone that there is absolutely nothing to worry about,” he said.
new variant
The United Kingdom announced on Friday the detection of its first case of the new variant of COVID-19, BA.2.86.
The UK authority said the strain has also been identified in Israel, Denmark and the United States.
He said the case was confirmed in an individual with no recent travel history, suggesting some degree of community transmission within the UK.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and US health authorities said on Thursday they were closely monitoring a new variant of COVID-19, although the potential impact of BA.2.86 is currently unknown.
ALSO READ: COVID-19: Nigeria receives $9.2 million grant
The WHO designated the BA.2.86 variant of COVID-19 as a ‘variant under surveillance’ due to the large number of mutations it carries.
Nigeria and the United Kingdom have a high volume of travelers who regularly travel between the two countries.
Precautions
Ogu said that the PHS collaborates with Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) across the country, engaging stakeholders who deliberate on different strategies and containment mechanisms for emergencies.
He said there are cameras on the runway that capture passengers’ body temperatures.
“For every passenger arriving at the airport, the first point of call is the port health services, where they are screened for irregularities in body temperature,” he said.
“The instruments are categorized into three: the handheld thermometer, a tripod-mounted asphalt scanner, and the distant asphalt camera.”
According to him, the asphalt far camera is the most effective because it captures everyone and all health information, and port health officials see the result on the screen.
“We intend to get more cameras in the near future for more effective coverage and optimal reporting,” he said.
He urged Nigerians not to panic, noting that the new variant is still at the observatory level.
Read More Related News Here
Let hear it in the comment below if you do have an opinion on this; New Variant of COVID-19: Proactive Measures Implemented at MMIA