COVID-19: FG May Consider Another Lockdown As Cases Continue To Rise

The Federal Government may consider the option of imposing a
fresh lockdown on the country if the rising cases of COVID-19
infections recorded lately continue.

The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on
COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, stated this during the PTF briefing in Abuja,
on Thursday.

“If these numbers continue to go up and we start having
significant deaths, we will have no option. If we do not want to
lock down, now is the time to make sure that we follow the
non-pharmaceutical interventions,” Aliyu said urging Nigerians to
take COVID-19 safety guidelines seriously.

The PTF Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Boss Mustapha also at the briefing said the increase in
the number of infections daily is worrying and calls for
concern.

“The Presidential Task Force is very concerned about the
increasing daily numbers that we are recording.

“On 6th of January 2021, we recorded 1,664 infections. This is
yet another all-time high in Nigerian and we must all take full
responsibility through compliance and vigilance,” the SGF said.

The Federal Government had in March 2020 locked down the Federal
Capital Territory, Abuja as well as Lagos and Ogun States for over
five weeks as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19
during the first wave of the pandemic.

The Federal Government may consider the option of imposing a
fresh lockdown on the country if the rising cases of COVID-19
infections recorded lately continue.

The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on
COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, stated this during the PTF briefing in Abuja,
on Thursday.

“If these numbers continue to go up and we start having
significant deaths, we will have no option. If we do not want to
lock down, now is the time to make sure that we follow the
non-pharmaceutical interventions,” Aliyu said urging Nigerians to
take COVID-19 safety guidelines seriously.

The PTF Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Boss Mustapha also at the briefing said the increase in
the number of infections daily is worrying and calls for
concern.

“The Presidential Task Force is very concerned about the
increasing daily numbers that we are recording.

“On 6th of January 2021, we recorded 1,664 infections. This is
yet another all-time high in Nigerian and we must all take full
responsibility through compliance and vigilance,” the SGF said.

The Federal Government had in March 2020 locked down the Federal
Capital Territory, Abuja as well as Lagos and Ogun States for over
five weeks as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19
during the first wave of the pandemic.