COVID-19 Infection Caused Psychological Trauma in Me – FCT Minister

Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has recounted his three-week ordeal after being diagnosed with COVID-19 on December 31, 2021.

“I thank God Almighty that I received the first and second doses of the COVID vaccine, because I tested positive for COVID-19 on December 31, 2021, and despite being told it was mild, I know what I went through.”

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“I was quarantined in my home for three weeks, despite not being hospitalized, because I tested positive twice after taking the medication.”

“It was the third time I’d received a negative response. 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.

“I tell you, even the mildness of the disease was something else because it hits you in many directions.

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

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“This is aside of 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.”

“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.”

The Minister thanked the Federal Government for ensuring the availability of the vaccines for Nigerians, advising residents of the Federal Capital Territory to get vaccinated because the vaccines save lives.

“I tell you, from the figures I get from our Public Health Department, a hundred 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, like my own case.

“So, my message to us is 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.”

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The Secretary for Health and Human Services of the FCTA, Dr. Abubakar Tafida said that a total of 433,000 people in the FCT have taken the first dose and 286,000 have had the second dose and so far, about 12,000 have taken the booster shot.

Dr. Tafida said that since the 30^th of November 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.