The Federal Government has disclosed of its decision to bar workers from accessing their offices as from December 1 if they are unable to show proof of their vaccination against the COVID-19 pandemic or a Polymerase Chain Reaction PCR test done within 72 hours.

Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee PSC on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha announced this at Wednesday’s briefing of the committee.

“With effect from 1st December, 2021, Federal Government employees shall be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result done within 72 hours, to gain access to their offices, in all locations within Nigeria and our Missions. An appropriate service wide advisory/circular will be issued to guide the process”, he stated.

He said statistics generated over the last four weeks on testing have shown that the trend of infection is going down in some states while in others, the trajectory is upward.

The combined total for testing by PCR and RDT now stands at about 3.141, 795 million persons.

The Aviation authorities in collaboration with the diplomatic sector have made reasonable progress in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Discussions are still on-going with the UAE Authorities to resolve the impasse”, he said.

Mustapha recalled that over several months, four countries were placed on high level restriction for travelers from such countries, adding that the PSC has after a review of the developments in these countries, decided to remove South Africa, Turkey, and Brazil from the restricted list.

As you are aware, the UK has eased restrictions on fully vaccinated travelers from Nigeria to the UK with effect from 11th October. Nigeria welcomes this development and assures that the PSC shall continue to review Nigeria’s protocols based on global developments, science and national experience. A revised protocol will be issued in the next 24 hours”, he said.