COVID-19: FG may consider another lockdown as cases continue to rise

The Federal Government may consider the option of imposing a fresh lockdown on the country if the rising cases of COVID-19 infections recorded lately continue.

The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, stated this during the PTF briefing in Abuja, on Thursday, January 7, 2021.

“If these numbers continue to go up and we start having significant deaths, we will have no option. If we do not want to lock down, now is the time to make sure that we follow the non-pharmaceutical interventions,” Aliyu said urging Nigerians to take COVID-19 safety guidelines seriously.

The PTF Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha also at the briefing said the increase in the number of infections daily is worrying and calls for concern.

“The Presidential Task Force is very concerned about the increasing daily numbers that we are recording.

“On 6th of January 2021, we recorded 1,664 infections. This is yet another all-time high in Nigerian and we must all take full responsibility through compliance and vigilance,” the SGF said.

The Federal Government had in March 2020 locked down the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja as well as Lagos and Ogun States for over five weeks as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic.