FCT Minister Recounts Unpleasant Experience With COVID-19

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello has taken the booster shot of the Coronavirus vaccine and called on residents of the territory to do the same.

Bello in a message to residents of the territory, on Sunday in Abuja, recounted his unpleasant encounter with the disease. He expressed gratitude to God, that he took the first and second doses of the vaccine.

According to him, on December 31, 2021, he tested positive for the disease.

“Even though I was told it was mild, I know what I experienced. Although I was not hospitalized, I was quarantined in my residence for three weeks.

“This is because subsequently, even after taking the medication, I tested positive twice. It was the third time that I got a negative result.

“If I had not taken the first and second doses, probably what has happened to many of my dear ones, would have happened to me,” the minister added.

Describing his experience, he said even though it was mild, the mildness of the disease was not pleasant, as it hit him in many directions.

“When I had it, no matter how strong I felt during the day, for about 15 to 20 minutes around 6:00 pm, when I’m seated, I just drop asleep and then after 15 minutes, I’m able to wake up again.

"This is aside from the sore throat, the headaches, and all the weakness you get, especially in your joints. I had to change my course of medicine after the first 10 days.”

Commenting on the other effects of the disease, the minister said “for three weeks, I was not productive.

"I didn’t go out of the house, I never had a chance to do my work and the multiplier effect was tremendous.

“Because even now, I’m just trying to cope, to clear all those files that I was not able to handle when I was under quarantine.”

Bello thanked the Federal Government for ensuring the availability of vaccines for Nigerians.

He also enjoined residents of the FCT to get vaccinated because the vaccines indeed do save lives.

"I tell you, from the figures I get from our Public Health Department, 100 percent of the deaths that we experienced in the FCT during the last few weeks as a result of COVID-19 were from those who were not vaccinated.

“So, the thing is that for those that are vaccinated, chances are that their cases will be mild, as my own case.

"My message to us is to let us all get vaccinated. For those who have been vaccinated for the first and second dose, I advise them to go for the booster.

"I will take all the recommended shots because I don’t want to go through what I went through again.”

Also, the Secretary for Health and Human Services of the FCTA, Dr. Abubakar Tafida, revealed that 433,000 people in the FCT had taken the first dose of COVID-19.

According to him, 286,000 have had the second dose and so far, about 12,000 have taken the booster shot.

Tafida said that since November 30, 2021, when he assumed office as the Secretary for Health, a total of 16 deaths had occurred as a result of COVID-19 and none of the victims had been vaccinated.