The Edo State Government has reiterated the need for residents to get vaccinated against coronavirus (COVID-19) and continue to comply with all preventive protocols to contain the pandemic in the state.

Edo State COVID-19 Incident Manager, Dr. Andrew Obi, who gave the charge while speaking to journalists in Benin-city, said the state has continued to record success in the management of the pandemic.

Noting that the government has ramped up its mass vaccination campaign across the state’s 18 local councils, the Incident Manager explained that over 37,000 eligible persons, including health workers, strategic leaders and other frontline staff, have so far been vaccinated in the first phase of the exercise.

Obi, who urged residents to support the government’s efforts at curbing the spread of the virus to ensure a total victory over the pandemic, reassured that the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration will continue to deploy resources to check the spread of the pandemic and protect residents across all communities in the state.

“We urge everyone to support the government’s efforts at containing the pandemic by complying with guidelines to curtail the spread of the virus. You must continue to wear your facemask when in public; wash your hands regularly under running water, use alcohol-based hand sanitizers and observe social distancing.”

Obi said decontamination of homes and offices of infected persons, contact tracing and line listing activities, strict enforcement of the state’s COVID-19 preventive protocols and the vaccination of eligible members of the public, among other activities to contain the second wave of the pandemic are still ongoing.

He charged residents with any COVID-19 symptoms to contact the Edo Emergency Operation Centre on this toll-free number: 08003625000 for assistance.