The Federal Government says it has not declared a fresh lockdown of the country, following confirmation of a second wave of COVID-19.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the clarification on Tuesday when he featured on a Radio Nigeria programme: “Politics Nationwide’’.
The minister said that the directives and position of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, at its briefing on Monday, did not translate to partial or total lockdown, as reported in some sections of the media.
He allayed the fears of some concerned citizens that a lockdown might have negative effects on the already stressed economy.
He said that what the Federal Government had done was to reduce the chances of mass gathering, by directing its workers from Level 12 below to work from home.
Mohammed said that the government also reiterated already existing ban on night clubs and other COVID-19 protocols.
“The Federal Government has not declared a fresh lockdown.
“What we have done is that we have simply reiterated the old protocols and asked federal workers on Level 12 and below to stay at home and they will still receive their salaries.
“Lagos State has equally asked their level 14 workers and below to work from home and Kaduna State has done the same.
“Therefore, there is no fresh lockdown and the issue of hardship and economic meltdown does not arise,’’ he said.
The minister said that the government also reminded Nigerians that the ban on social gathering was still in force, while churches and mosques were expected to comply with the social gathering rules.
He said that the directive was to curtail public gathering because it was discovered that COVID had reached the level of community transmission.
Mohammed said that the protocols on foreign travels subsisted, as those travelling to Nigeria would not be able to come on board unless they produced the certificate that they tested negative for the virus.
He also said that whenever such travellers arrived in the country, they must self-isolate for seven days after which they would present themselves for confirmation test.
At the briefing on Monday, the Chairman of PTF, Boss Mustapha, advised states to immediately close all bars, nightclubs and restaurants across the country.
He said that the number of guests at weddings, conferences, among others, had also been limited to 50 only persons.
Mustapha, who is the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said that the new guidelines were part of measures taken to limit the spread of coronavirus.
