The International Federation of Red Cross, West Africa, on Saturday warned Nigerians not to lose guard of the ravaging effects of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

Dr. Johann Ojukwu, Red Cross Health and Care Officer, Abuja office, gave the warning in Lokoja while speaking at the end of a road show to sensitize residents on COVID-19 vaccines.

“The complacent attitude of Nigerians to COVID-19 vaccines is very dangerous and worrisome to the wellbeing of the nation.

“We have observed that Nigerians have stopped coming out to be vaccinated against the disease, thereby constituting serious threat to public health.

“Nigeria cannot afford to let down its guard as far as COVID-19 is concerned. This is because the virus is still very much around and still ravaging all parts of the country,” she said.

Ojukwu said travelers from different parts of the world that were likely to be carriers of the virus were still visiting Nigeria, which “entails that nobody is totally free yet from the disease.”

Also speaking, Dr. Khadijat Malik, Director, Primary Heath Care, Lokoja Local Government area, called on Kogi residents to come out to be vaccinated against COVID-19, considering the unique location of the state as the link between Southern and Northern Nigeria.

Mr. Dan Usman, Chairman of the Nigeria Red Cross Society, Lokoja branch, explained that the road show was to scale up awareness and sensitize the people about COVID-19 vaccines.

Usman cautioned the residents on their reluctance to come out to be vaccinated against the disease, saying that government would never bring anything that had negative health implications for the people into the country.