COVID-19 May Attack Nigeria Again in 2 Weeks, PTF Warns
Secretary to the government of Nigeria who is the chairman, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, on Tuesday said the country was at risk of a huge second wave of coronavirus infections.
“The PTF is highlighting these issues repeatedly because we remain at risk of importation, having opened our airspace and massive spread as a result of the protests. The next week or two remain critical.
Mustapha, at the briefing of the PTF, decried the failure of Nigerians who arrived from abroad to present themselves for the in-country Polymerase Chain Reaction test they signed up to before arrival.
“The PTF at the last briefing cautioned on the need to avoid complacency on account of the low number of infections published daily and the possibility of a second wave. That advice was premised on the fact that risk perception remains very low and sample collection has been on the decline,” Mustapha said.
He equally cited the recent governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States as well as the #EndSARS nationwide protests.
“The PTF is highlighting these issues repeatedly because we remain at risk of importation, having opened our airspace and massive spread as a result of the protests. The next week or two remain critical.
“The PTF similarly announced sanctions as a consequence of any infraction. Having observed serious non-compliance to the level of 65%, the need has arisen to activate the sanctions, including the suspension of the passports of such defaulting individuals for a period of six months minimum.”
Health minister, Osagie Ehanire, said the government had concluded plans to establish a modern vaccine production company in Nigeria.
He said the government was working with the World Health Organization to make Nigeria’s access to the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it becomes available.
The minister expressed concern over the decline in the testing rate, contact tracing and case finding in several states, saying records showed that only Lagos and the FCT had met the testing target of at least one percent of the population.
PTF national coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu, said a total of N50bn had so far been released to the 36 states to fight coronavirus.
He said “We’ve given resources to state governments. Every state has received at least a billion naira, the states government have received the largest single bulk of the PTF interventions. As of today, a total of N50bn went to states. So, we have enough resources at the state level to be able to push for increased testing and improved surveillance.
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