By Fredrick Wright
As a third wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic has hit Lagos, Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu has ordered all religious houses to run at 50% capacity.
Sanwo-Olu, in a statement issued on Sunday said the incidence of COVID-19 patients has increased since the beginning of July, indicating the start of a third wave of infections.
He said: “Since the beginning of July, we have seen a sharp increase in the number of daily confirmed cases, with the test positivity rate increasing from 1.1 percent at the end of June 2021 to 6.6 percent as of July 8th, 2021.”
“The rapid increase within a week gives great cause for concern. Also, within the last two weeks, the occupancy rate at our 2 isolation centres increased from an average of 1% to 6%. This is the new and disturbing reality that now confronts us.
“Greater vigilance is required at this time in our Churches and Mosques and other places of religious worship. Even as we are pleased that religious houses are now open for worship, after the lengthy closures of 6 2020, we must not allow ourselves to be carried away by the illusion that all is now back to normal. This is especially critical, as Sallah approaches, in a little over a week from now.
“The festivities will no doubt bring people together in large numbers and create conditions that can sadly cause the spread of the Coronavirus. We must not allow this to happen.
“For this reason, we are mandating full compliance with all protective protocols. Compulsory use of masks in all public places, social distancing, temperature checks, provisions for hand-washing and sanitizers, and a maximum of 50 percent occupancy in enclosed spaces. Resisting Pandemic Fatigue Whilst both the Federal and State Governments have a huge role to play in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, the responsibility of managing the third wave ultimately belongs to all of us.”
The development may not be unconnected to the careless attitude of air passengers from countries in the “high risk” zones and the complacency by the residents to follow the protective protocols issued by the government after the end of the second wave.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that:
“18 percent of 50,322 air passengers of interest, who arrived in Lagos via the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), could not be reached for COVID-19 status monitoring by EKOTELEMED because they supplied wrong contact details.
Going forward, the governor ordered sanctioning of in-bound air passengers that failed to provide verifiable contact details, including accessible phone numbers they can be reached for monitoring.
Sanwo-Olu said air passengers would face prosecution, including fines and imprisonment in line with the Lagos State Coronavirus Law of 2021.
He said: “As directed by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 (PSC), passengers from red-listed countries (India, South Africa, Brazil and Turkey) are required to observe mandatory isolation.
“We have successfully isolated 2,386 passengers in Lagos. Of this number, 15 per cent have absconded. Sanctions are being recommended and have already been meted out to defaulters. Revocation of Permanent Residency and deportation are being meted out to foreign nationals defaulting the protocols. For Nigerians, there will be prosecution to the full extent of the Lagos State COVID-19 Law of 2021.”
The situation at hand, Sanwo-Olu said, required reactivation of full compliance with all protective protocols already outlined by the State Government.
The governor said there should be compulsory use of masks in all public places, while also directing social distancing, compulsory temperature checks, provisions for hand-washing and sanitizers, and maximum of 50 per cent occupancy in enclosed spaces.
Sanwo-Olu urged worship centres to be particularly vigilant, advising them not to be carried away by the illusion that all activities were back to normal.
