The Federal Government of Nigeria has imposed night curfew, restricts mass gatherings at religious activities, wedding and other gatherings to 50 percent capacity, as the new measures to contain cases of Covid19 that is currently devastating Brazil, India and Turkey.
China alone recorded over 400,000 new cases of Covid19 within 24 hours yesterday, May 9.
The National Incident Manager of the Nigeria’s Presidential Steering Committee on COVID19, Mukhtar Mohammed, who announced the new measures today, May 10, said that with effect from tomorrow, May11, event centres, night clubs will remain closed till further notice.
According to him, gatherings of religious groups, weddings are reduced to 50 percent attendance, while official engagements, meetings and conferences will continue to hold virtually.
He said that the curfew is from midnight of Monday May 10th to 4am, saying that military personnel have been drafted to monitor and enforce adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions on public transport.
Mukhtari Mohammed appealed to state governments to enforce these guidelines with violators made to appear before mobile courts and pay fines.
Reading the guidelines below:
“Last week on 26th of April, the PSE took a precautionary step by restricting travel from three countries, Brazil, India and wherever observed high incidence of cases have a totally different and widespread prevalence for virus.
“The PSC continues to reinforce the surveillance system and the country’s points of entry. While our vaccine rollout has began there is a shortage in global supplies affected by the current situation in India. These translates to a delay in vaccinating a large proportion of the population and therefore a risk of a large outbreak, especially in the context of poor adherence to the recommended public and social gatherings.
“There are strong concerns about the non compliance to public health and social measures, which are contained in the health protection regulation 2021. “Specifically, the level of adherence to the use of face mask, physical distancing, temperature checks in public spaces, hand washing, and limitations placed on large gatherings remain very poor, in some areas these are even non existent.
“In line with increasing risk of certain cases, the PSC is therefore maintaining enforcement of the COVID-19 Health Protection Division. This is to mitigate the risk of a spike in new cases, while the nationwide vaccine continues.
“The National Response continues to focus on achieving a balance between preserving lives while working on a long term epidemic control.
“Further to this recommendation and effective from 00:01 hours on Tuesday 11th of May 2022, this phase four of restriction of movement shall come into effect. We shall maintain restrictions on mass gatherings of sidewalk settings, with a maximum of about 50 people in any enclosed space.
“Approved gatherings must be held to the physical distancing measures, and other non pharmaceutical interventions in place.
Enforcement of mandatory requirement for seven day quarantine for all international passengers arriving from foreign destinations. While institutional quarantine for international passengers arriving from the three countries we mentioned.
“Enforced temperature checks and robust monetary policy in all public settings, working his buildings, businesses, places of worship, etc.
“Access to government and commercial premises should be denied to any person who is not wearing face mask.
“We will continue to maintain restriction on reduction of work of government staff workers from GL-12 and below. We’ll also limited government meetings to virtual platforms as much as possible. While we maintaining restrictions on physical meetings, including official trips, oversight visits and board meetings.
“Event centres night night clubs shall remain closed until further notice. Restaurants are to provide eat in at 50% capacity and provides takeaways where available.
“These measures are to enable the government to measure effectively prevent and control a resurgence of an acute phase of this pandemic, continue to strengthen our public health systems and protect the lives of Nigerians and our economy.
“It is critical that greater ownership and responsibility of these measures as a cure for both the general public and government institutions across federal and state levels.
“It is believed that these steps will help consolidate the gains made so far and position our country to effectively overcome the pandemic going forward.
“The Presidential Steering Committee has made this recommendations in line with established thematic areas of movement, industry, labour, and community activities.
“The nationwide curfew will be imposed tonight at midnight and will run through till 4am. No more restrictions of movement within the country, given the risk that citizens are encouraged to refrain from non essential movement, and comply with NPIS guidelines. People who are aged 60 years and above and with co-morbidities are strongly urged to stay at home and avoid crowds.
“We have advise Nigerians on essential travels, international travellers, only essential travellers are encouraged and both international and domestic travellers must abide by all existing protocols. All international passengers must register with the Nigeria international portal. Rail transport, no limitations to interstate or intrastate travels, however, consumers of services must ensure that they abide by stipulated regulations. security agencies are to enforce the use of non pharmaceutical interventions in the transport sector. And also, which include using face mask temperature checks, and use of hand sanitizers.
“In terms of working arrangement, virtual meetings should be encouraged to take place as much as possible. We should avoid large meetings, decongest offices and ensure they are well ventilated.
“States have been asked to institute mobile courts to help enforce on the spot fines and closed premises that violate these prohibitions.
“On communal services, markets and stores, they should ensure that there are spot checks of commercial premises and observed or mandatory non pharmaceutical interventions. Facility owners and managers and store owners are to ensure that physical distancing is observed.
“All mass gatherings remain restricted to 50 persons except where explicit permission has been granted by the state governments. Hotels are to remain open, but they must observe or non pharmaceutical interventions.
“Schools have already opened, however, they should consider the use of approved antigen based rapid diagnostics tests as recommended by the NCDC.
“All religious gatherings should be limited to less than 50% capacity to ensure physical distancing and use of facemask is mandatory.
“All recreational venues, gyms and indoor sports facilities are to close until 11 of June when the situation will be reviewed. However, non contact outdoor sports such as golf, polo and tennis are not affected by these.
“Gatherings in weddings, parties and meetings should also comply with 50 persons. Mass political gatherings, gatherings in the open, a large number of people are strictly to o adhere this COVID-19 protocol as issued by INEC.
“Violations of this protocols: Each state government is to set up mobile Tribunal for prosecution of violators as security agents are empowered to make an arrest for violations under the protection regulation. “These safety protocols only provide a baseline from which state governors may further strengthen their responses based on that Local circumstances, states should continue to consider this minimum guidelines required to ensure an acceptable level of epidemic control. “Lastly, as we prepare to commence the end of Ramadan festivities and Sallah celebrations, we asked Nigerians to be cautious, to avoid crowded places and ensure that they continue to use face masks and also social distancing where necessary.
