COVID-19: FG orders five-week closure of schools, considers int’l flight ban

• Directs civil servants to work from home
• Restricts gatherings to 50 people

Nigeria has entered a panicky mode over the second wave of coronavirus now ravaging the United Kingdom among others as the Federal Government on Monday ordered all federal civil servants on Grade Level 12 and below to stay at home for the next five weeks.

It also restricted guests at weddings, conferences, and sporting activities among others to 50 and hinted about plans to ban some international flights as part of measures aimed at curtailing the spread of the new wave COVID-19 to Nigeria.

Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, gave the directives, adding that the new measures had been approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The measures came as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said the nation recorded 356 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday and six deaths.

Mustapha, who is also Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said, “The PTF has surveyed developments and actions taken by governments around the world, assessed our domestic environment and has accordingly submitted its recommendations to Mr President on immediate measures to be taken.

“Accordingly, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has authorised the PTF to engage with the states and the FCT to assume full ownership of this stage of the response by deploying legal structures and resources, including enforcement to manage the pandemic within their jurisdictions.”

He specifically said all schools would remain closed till January 18 and that restrictions had been placed on social and religious gatherings for five weeks.

“The PTF on the advice of the Federal Ministry of Education expects that schools would have vacated from the 18th December 2020 and remain closed till at least the 18th of January, 2021 to enable the measures introduced to take effect,” he stated.

Mustapha also said those heading government agencies and ministries should “encourage virtual meetings in government offices. The leadership of such offices is to ensure that all offices are well-ventilated, and encourage staff to work from home where possible;

“All government staff on GL.12 and below are to stay at home for the next five weeks; permanent secretaries and chief executives are to be held accountable for enforcing NPI rules in their domains with frequent spot checks.

 “All persons above the age of 60yrs and/or with morbidities are to be encouraged to stay at home and avoid crowds.

“All non-essential travels – both domestic and international during the holiday season are seriously discouraged.”

The government also ordered the closure of all bars, nightclubs and restaurants.

Mustapha said, “In line with the authorisation, the PTF wishes to issue the following advisories to sub-national entities for implementation over the next five weeks because these activities are considered super spreader events:

1. Close all bars, night clubs, pubs and event centres, and recreational venues;
2. Close all restaurants except those providing services to hotel residents; takeaways, home deliveries and drive-ins;
3. Restrict all informal and formal festivity events including weddings, conferences, congresses, office parties, concerts, seminars, sporting activities, end of year events shall be restricted to 50 persons;
4. Limit all gatherings linked to religious events to less than 50% capacity of the facility of use during which physical distancing, mandatory use of face masks shall be strictly enforced;
5. Where more than 50 persons are attending, any such events, the gathering should be held outdoors only;
6. Public transportation systems are to carry passengers not more than 50% of their capacity in compliance with social distancing rules.
7. Enforce compliance with NPI protocols especially the advisory on wearing of face masks in public spaces.”

Mustapha added that to reduce overcrowding in public spaces, markets, shopping centres, offices and schools, states were advised to implement the following:

1. Encourage virtual meetings in government offices. The leadership of such offices to ensure that all offices are well-ventilated, and encourage staff to work from home where possible;
2. All government staff on GL.12 and below are to stay at home for the next five weeks permanent; secretaries and chief executives are to be held accountable for enforcing NPI rules in their domains with frequent spot checks;
3. The PTF on the advice of the Federal Ministry of Education expects that schools would have vacated from the 18th December 2020 and remain closed till at least the 18th of January, 2021 to enable the measures introduced to take effect;
4. All persons above the age of 60yrs and/or with morbidities are to be encouraged to stay at home and avoid crowds;
5. All non-essential travels – both domestic and international during the holiday season are seriously discouraged.”

International flights ban likely

Meanwhile, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the FG may impose a travel ban on certain parts of the world.

He disclosed on Monday at a special forum of the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja that government would not hesitate to impose the travel ban if it was the only way to protect the people from the new strain of the disease.

The minister said, “We are more concerned about the new strain of COVID-19, which is manifesting itself in the UK; that is the mutated strain. It is difficult to detect, it spreads faster and people have been known to die of it within a very short period of its detection.”

The minister, who noted that many European countries had banned flights to and from the UK, said, “This season, many students are coming from the UK in particular, to come and join their families in Nigeria.

“Besides many of our people, because of the traditional link we have with the UK, may want to go there for business or family reunion.

“It is a very testy time and it might be another dangerous period to transmit this new variant of COVID-19.”