Chinwe Ihekweazu, Director General, Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control, NCDC has urged Nigerians to ensure strict compliance to the Stay at home directive by the President, Muhammadu Buhari with the aim of curbing the spread of COVID-19.
Ihekweazu made the call during the Press briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 which held in Abuja.
He explained that the Stay at home directive is the strategy that is being used to contain the virus and assured that full compliance would help to drastically reduce the transmission of the virus from persons to persons
He pleaded with Nigerians to endure the pains and the inconveniences for the next few days assuring that it would help to curb the spread of the virus.
“We need to hold ourselves collectively accountable and responsible to enforce the social distancing to keep the virus apart. Once we do this, we can work and get back to our day to day life.”
Also speaking at the press briefing, Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire reiterated that social distancing has proven to be an effective tool to reduce the spread of the virus.
He explained that the elderly and those with underlying health issues are most vulnerable to the virus.
He noted that the test is at no cost to members of the public and urged members of the public with questions to call the toll free lines to report real and genuine cases and not for joke.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that all airports have been closed to contain the virus and exterminate it.
It was however noted that, “aircrafts in distress, on technical stop – need to fuel essential cargos, certain humanitarian flights, conveying food supplies or medical equipment would be allowed in Nigeria’s airspace and airports.
All diplomatic flights must pass through Ministry of foreign affairs as part of safety measures.