ON THE VERGE OF OPENING AIRPORTS for domestic flight operations, and, already, lifted restriction on intercity travels, Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, during the Presidential Task Force, PTC, on COVID-19 media briefing, Thursday, reminded Nigerians that the Centre has not relaxed the guidelines on mass gathering on COVID-19 protocol.
“We are on the verge of opening our flights, airports and we have relaxed intercity travel. We know that we have families, loving people, and that over the next few weeks, we will all start having this urge to go and visit our parents, our uncles and our aunts.
“We may also restart the funeral activities that we have postponed for months, start the weddings, wine carryings, birthing, baptisms that we have postponed for months. Yes, it’s important to do these things and the interstate travel will allow us to do this. But remember we haven’t relaxed the guidelines of mass gatherings,’’ Ihekweazu said.
As more people were infected across the world, transmission among younger people aged between 20 and 40 could drive the spread of the virus. Nigerians, Ihekweazu said, have to remember that restriction on mass gatherings was still in place.
“Beyond that, Nigerians have to show their elderly citizens, love and affection, by not exposing them to the virus as much as they possibly could. For some people, the exposure is inevitable because of the nature of this virus, but we mustn’t contribute to increasing the risk.
“Looking through social media today, I saw a brilliant campaign in Edo state, titled ‘Our Elders Our Pride’. For this to mean something for all of us, we have to put this into action”, he warned.
NCDC, Ihekweazu said, looked forward to work with Nigerians, in line with Edo State campaign slogan: ‘Our Elders Our Pride’, something they could take it to heart. And urged Nigerians to wear mask, postpone travels, avoid mass gatherings and wash their hands.
