The Covid-19 Outbreak Propel Nigeria to Lockdown

Spread of Covid-19 in Africa

The rapid spread of the Coronavirus in Africa, nations have to impose extraordinary measures to curb the spread. At the moment, Nigeria is forced under lockdown as they report a significant increase in confirmed cases. At the moment, its central commercial hub, Lagos, is not operating any more. According to news as of 29th March, the city has the highest number of Covid-19 confirmed cases in the country. Nigeria’s federal government has continued to come up with multiple measures to deal with the situation.

Besides, in the past weeks, state government suspends schools, whether private or public. More than seventy per cent of government workers should stay at home. Furthermore, shops and markets are closed now for a week. Over twenty million people have been benefiting from the money used to fight the outbreak. Due to the hit, governor Baba Jide, last week announced an incentive package to assist the poor.

The president orders Lagos State to lockdown

Consequently, to the need to contain the Corona virus spread, on 29th March, Nigeria’s Federal government imposed a lockdown policy to Lagos state. As ordered by the Nigeria President, Buhari, in his first speech regarding the Covid-19 pandemic. Other states, including Federal Capital Territory as well as Ogun state, are to be affected by the measure.

The president says he got a piece of advice from the Federal Ministry of health together with NCDC. Therefore; he bans movements across FCT as well as Lagos state for two weeks, active as from Monday, 30th March 2020 11 pm. Citizens who live in the inscribed areas are to stay indoors, as travelling from one state to another is prohibited. Besides, offices together with businesses within these areas should remain closed for the fourteen days.

The state government offered isolation facility by GT Bank.

Following the rapid spread of the Corona virus in Nigeria, on Saturday, the GT Bank offers a one hundred and ten bed- isolation facility for the infected. According to the reporters, the Guaranty Trust Bank helped construct the facility. As the bank offers the facility, says it is part of social responsibility to helps curb the pandemic. Governor Sanwo Olu says that panic and fear is over the residents as the cases are rising day after day.

Additionally, the governor says the government is working day and night, coming up with strategies to minimize the transmission more so for those who recently returned from abroad. He also says that there is a significant improvement in the recovery of the isolated patients in States Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba. Consequently, the state has plans to maximize the facility capacity to improve response strategy as well as actions to curb the virus spread.

Conclusion

Segun Agbaje, the GT bank CEO appreciates the state government for accepting the collaboration offer in constructing the facility. He is optimistic that the facility will help to minimize the infection cases. I urge all Lagos state residents together will all Nigeria citizens to observe the outlaid health measures, and they will succeed. Bottom- line, hope and determination are all we got to contain the virus spread.