To reduce the escalating new infections of Coronavirus due to the Second Wave of the pandemic in the country especially in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday banning carnivals and street parties while re-imposing restrictions on attendance at churches and mosques.
Specifically, Governor Sanwo-Olu said that with immediate effect, all civil servants from Grade Level 14 and below should work from home while not all worship centres must hold services for more than two hours.
In addition, no gathering should exceed 50 per cent of the maximum capacity of the Venue.
On Thursday, Nigeria recorded an unprecedented 1,145 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total confirmed cases to 76,207.
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) records show that Nigeria recorded an increase in new COVID-19 cases of 5,809 between December 7 and December 16 2020.
Breakdown of the 5,809 cases shows that on December 7, the country recorded 390; 550 cases on December 8; 474 cases on December 9; 675 cases on December 10 and 796 cases on December 11.
In addition, 617 cases was recorded on December 12; 418 cases on December 13; 201 cases on December 14; 758 cases on December 15 as well as 930 cases on December 16.
Out of the cases recorded during the 10-day period, Lagos State registered 1,629 new infections while the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recorded 1,586 cases.
Out of the 1,145 new infections recorded on Thursday, Lagos State maintained its position as the epicentre of the virus in the country with 459 cases; followed by FCT, Kaduna, and Plateau with 145, 138 and 80 respectively.
In ordering new restrictions, Governor Sanwo-Olu said that “concerts, carnivals and street parties are banned in Lagos State until further notice. The midnight to 4a.m curfew imposed by the Federal Government remains in place. The protocol of ‘No Mask No Entry’ must be enforced by all public places: Offices, Businesses, Markets, Shops, and so on.
“All Places of Worship (Churches, Mosques, etc.) must ensure that no gathering exceeds two hours, and also that no gathering exceeds 50% of the maximum capacity of the Venue.
“A minimum of 2 meters’ distance should be maintained between seated or standing guests. All guests and service providers at events MUST wear nose masks/coverings before entry.”
The Governor added that “all public servants from GL 14 and below, except emergency workers and first responders, are to work from home as from Monday, December 21st for the next 14 days – in the first instance.
“All schools must shut down with immediate effect, and until further notice. Night Clubs have not been allowed to open yet. All Night Clubs in Lagos must immediately shut down, until further notice.
“The midnight to 4a.m curfew imposed by the Federal Government remains in place. The protocol of ‘No Mask No Entry’ must be enforced by all public places: Offices, Businesses, Markets, Shops, and so on.
“All Places of Worship (Churches, Mosques, etc.) must ensure that no gathering exceeds two hours, and also that no gathering exceeds 50% of the maximum capacity of the Venue. A minimum of 2 meters’ distance should be maintained between seated or standing guests. All guests and service providers at events MUST wear nose masks/coverings before entry.”
Sanwo-Olu explained that the restriction was returned because “the Lagos State Government has sadly noticed that there is an unfortunate public perception that we have seen the end of the COVID-19 pandemic; that the worst is over. This is absolutely wrong and dangerous.
“We are getting credible reports that the entertainment industry is planning large gatherings, concerts, street parties and carnivals, in the spirit of the Yuletide. Night Clubs have also re-opened in reckless disregard of the existing guidelines, and Events Centers are operating with huge gatherings without any regard for public health and safety guidelines.
“This same disregard for Coronavirus guidelines is also being observed with Places of Worship across the State, in both their regular gatherings and the special gatherings organised to commemorate this season.
“Christmas is a commemoration of this supreme act of sacrifice by God. The least we can do in this Season is to emulate that spirit of sacrifice, by abiding with difficult but necessary protective guidelines, for the greater good of all of us.”
On second wave of COVID-19 in the State, the Governor said: “As you are all aware, Lagos State is recording an increase in COVID-19 cases in all local governments. This is not peculiar to Lagos alone; the entire country is also seeing an uptick in the numbers of confirmed cases of the Coronavirus disease.
“Of every 100 tests that we now perform, an average of 10 turn out to be positive. This is an increase from the 5 per hundred recorded in September, but lower than our peak in August which was between 20 and 30 per hundred. This suggests the existence of active community transmission, and represents the very likely possibility of the emergence of a second wave in Lagos State.
“This second wave calls for a full re-awakening of caution and precaution. The complacency that crept in over the last few months as a result of our early interventions when cases started to decline from our peak in August, must now give way to an abundance of vigilance.”
