The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 Pandemic has warned Nigerians to avoid large gathering events during the Christmas/New Year festivities.
Chairman of the PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, who was represented by the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, stated this on Thursday during the task force’s media briefing in Abuja.
The SGF, who urged Nigerians to reinforce their efforts to stay alive in the face of the spiking cases of the virus, notified that the hope of accessing vaccines for the treatment would not be immediate, adding that vaccines alone cannot cure the infection.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said, on Thursday, that the Federal Government is reactivating treatment centres across the country.
He also noted that due to the rising cases of patients needing admission, especially those severely afflicted with the virus, there will be an urgent need for more hospital beds.
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On his part, the Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, warned Nigerians to avoid large gatherings in confined spaces, recommending virtual meetings instead.
According to the Ihekweazu, the risk of spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 is higher in confined spaces, where there is close contact of less than two metres, with an infected, but possibly asymptomatic person.
He counselled that all physical meetings should be restricted or converted to virtual meetings, whenever possible.
The NCDC boss said that if physical meetings must be held, people must ensure that there was adequate ventilation in the room, the number of attendees limited, and all staff members wore face masks, maintained physical distance of at least two metres and adhered to other public health measures.
