Health

Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, has tested positive for COVID-19, barely 24 hours after his meeting with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken in Jerusalem.

The PM’s office made this known to AFP journalists on Monday.

Bennett had met with Blinken in Jerusalem on Sunday during talks of a “historic summit” of Israeli and Arab diplomats.

It was reported that the prime minister was not wearing a face mask during the joint news conference with Blinken on Sunday.

A statement from his office said on Monday that he is ”feeling well and will continue his schedule as planned from his home”.

Earlier, Bennett visited the Northern Israeli city of Hadera after gunmen shot dead two police officers in an attack claimed by the jihadist Islamic State group.

Police said the two gunmen – Israeli Arabs identified by Israeli intelligence as local IS operatives were killed by counter terrorism officers who happened to be nearby

However, pictures published by Israeli media after his visit to Hadera, during which he was also briefed by the police on the attack, showed Bennett wearing a face mask.

Bennett’s office said that on Monday the prime minister “will hold a situation assessment following the attack that took place last night with” the ministers of defence, public security, the army’s chief of staff and other officials.

AFP

Health

The Presidential Steering Committee for Covid19 has amended the International Travel Protocols for Covid19, which will go into effect on April 4, 2022.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha, revealed the new protocols at a briefing in Abuja, stating that inbound fully vaccinated passengers arriving in the country will no longer be required to take a pre-departure PCR COVID-19 test, while samples of fully vaccinated passengers will be taken on arrival for rapid antigen testing by the NCDC within the airport’s arrival hall.

Passengers who have not been vaccinated or have only been partially vaccinated must do a COVID-19 PCR test 48 hours before departure and must pay for their PCR testing through the travel platform.

Similarly, fully vaccinated travellers will not be charged for arrival rapid antigen tests at the airport, and children aged 10 to 18 years will not be required to have pre-arrival PCR tests but will have a sample taken at the arrival hall but will not be charged.

Mr Mustapha further said that people leaving Nigeria should be properly vaccinated and follow all COVID-19 protocols and requirements in their country of destination.

 FRCN, Abuja

Health

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency has announced that the expected COVAX Astrazeneca/Oxford vaccines have arrived in Nigeria.

The agency disclosed this in a social media statement on Tuesday after the first batch landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

The Federal Government through different agencies had earlier hinted that 3.94 million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India were expected to arrive today, March 2, 2021.

Present at the airport to receive the vaccines are; the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, Boss Mustapha, the DG of the NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, the Minister for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire and the DG of the Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control, NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu.

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Education

Schools in Ekiti State have resumed for the 2019/2020 third term academic activities, following the directive by the state government that students in SS two, JSS three and Primary six pupils should return to schools.

Radio Nigeria Correspondent who visited some schools in Ado-Ekiti metropolis including Sam/Jewel School, Prison road, Saint Peter’s Nursery and Primary school, Odo-Ado, Saint Paul’s Nursery and Primary school also in Odo-Ado and Saint John’s Primary school, Idemo, all in Ado-Ekiti.

In the schools visited, both teachers and pupils put on face masks, washed and sanitized their hands in compliance with covid-19 protocols.

Also, buckets and hand sanitizers were put in strategic places in the schools, while infrared thermometers were used to test the temperature of the pupils before they were allowed into classrooms.

The principle of social distancing was also observed as ten pupils were arranged in a class.

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state had last week announced the resumption of schools in phases, following reduction in the cases of covid-19 in the country.

The situation was the same in Osun State.

Teaching and learning have commenced in most schools visited in Ilesa.

Meanwhile, Principals of Public Schools in the State have assured their students of accelerated academic activities as the academic session commenced.

In Ibadan, Schools complied with COVID-19 protocols as students resumed for 2020/2021 first term academic session after six months of school’s closure due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Our correspondent who was in company of a team of officials of the state ministry of education, science and technology to monitor the resumption reported that lack of space in one of the schools visited hindered physical distancing.

Some of the schools visited include Anglican Commercial Grammar School, Orita mefa, Oritamefa Baptist Model School, IMG Grammar School, Total Garden, Oluyoro Girls Grammar School, Oke Ofa among others.

The students washed their hands before entering the schools, maintained physical distancing in the classroom while they also put on their masks.

Radio Nigeria observed a different situation at Oluyoro Girls Grammar School as the poor arrangement for timely commencement of teaching and lack of space to accommodate some of the student infuriated the Permanent Secretary of ministry of education mrs aminat atere who led the inspection team.

The development according to Principal of the school, Mrs Aarinola Alebiowu was due to hoodlums in the area who defecated in most of the classrooms.

Radio Nigeria also observed that students who were without nose masks were not allowed to enter the schools premises.

In an interview, the Permanent Secretary Mrs Aminat Atere who represented the commissioner of education said the new arrangement was meant to guarantee physical distancing.

She enjoined the teachers to live up to responsibility in the new teaching guidelines.




Amos Ogunrinde/Isaac Haastrup/Rotimi Famakin