COVID-19: Expert warns against 3 ‘variants of concern,’ calls for increased sequencing

Dr Gabriel Adakole, a Public Health expert, says that no fewer than four variants of the COVID-19 are present in the country, such that Nigeria, like many other countries is monitoring multiple variants of the SAR-Cov-2

Adakole, told said on Thursday in Abuja, that besides the Delta variant making waves in the country, there were the  Alpha, Beta, Gamma  classified as “variants of concern,” meaning they posed an increased risk of transmission and severity.

The expert noted that all of the four variants were in the country and if only the relevant health agencies were doing more sequencing to ascertain which of the strains was now more dominant in the country.

While vaccination remains largely protective against severe disease, Delta is proving to be much more challenging than other iterations of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which cause COVID-19.

He said that getting vaccinated protects people against severe COVID-19. But asymptomatic or mild infections were possible, especially as the Delta variant takes grip in some states of the federation and the FCT.

“We have just vaccinated less than two percent of our population and for a moment in time it appears we might not be turning the corner on COVID-19.

“The way and manner Nigerians hesitate or flatly refuse to get inoculated will give the virus plenty of opportunity to spread and mutate. And with  the super-infectious Delta variant, we have to be very careful,” he said.

Adakole advised that as long as the pandemic is ravaging the country, infections in fully vaccinated people  should not be ruled out.

“It is only if we present ourselves for testing that we will be able to find out how to avoid  a breakthrough case of COVID-19,” he added.