REALITY OF COVID-19 STARES NIGERIA, and Nigerians in the face. Lagos state government continues to take pro-active lead and measures to curb spread of the disease in the state. In addition to previous measures already taken, the government, on Monday, directed public transportation drivers and conductors to wear nose masks and hand gloves.
All passengers are required to sanitise themselves before and after each trip. Transport operators and companies are to have, at the entrance to their parks and garages, fitted with hand washing facilities, soap and running water, along with alcohol-based sanitizers in the vehicles, for use by the drivers, conductors and passengers.
All transport operators are warned not to over-crowd or over-load their vehicles. Passengers’ spacing must be fully observed, in line with National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, recommendation of at least 2m (5ft) distance between anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness.
All air condition system in public transport should be put off. Temperature reader to test each passenger before boarding the buses must be on hand for use at regularly basis.
Lagos state government issued the public transportion guidelines to curb further spread of the coronavirus in buses, cabs, motor parks and garages. Transport operators and companies, and passengers are to report any suspected case of Covid-19 to Lagos State Ministry of Transpiration, or call 08000CORONA.
Frederic Oladeinde, Commissioner for Transportation statement, on the guidelines, said that the measures are part of efforts by government to prevent state-wide spread of covid-19. The stand, he said, has become imperative due to the reality of the time with the record of Covid-19, infecting 30 persons in the country.
Lagos state has the highest number of 22 cases. Oladeinde urged passengers to report operators and companies that failed to comply with the guidelines to monitoring officers, or write to the ministry, and give the vehicle registration number, park and time. Containing the virus remained a joint effort, he added.
He directed that there should be no standing in all Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, and the Lagos Bus Service Limited, LBSL, bus operations. All commercial buses should be at 60 per cent capacity, and not 100 per cent capacity.
