COVID-19 Third Wave: Lagos Asks Religious, Event Centres To Reduce Capacity

Posted by African Examiner African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Monday, July 12th, 2021

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has stated that COVID-19 third wave has hit the state.

In an address on Sunday, the governor directed that religious, event centres and other enclosed places are to henceforth operate at 50 percent capacity.

According to him, since the end of March 2021, the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lagos began to wind down and he regretted that in spite of the hard work and dedicated efforts towards sustaining the return to normalcy; the state is finding itself at the beginning of a potential third wave.

He stated that between 8th May 2021 and 7th July 2021, a total of 50,322 passengers of interest came into Lagos via the Murtala Mohammed Airport. Also, about 18 percent could not be reached by EKOTELEMED due to the provision of either wrong numbers or wrong Nigerian contact details to be reached on.

“It is the responsibility of passengers to ensure they provide the right details for us to reach them for proper monitoring”, he noted.

“Passengers that do not provide the right details, including a phone number they can be reached for monitoring and an address for isolation, will be penalized.

“Sanctions are being recommended and have already been meted out to defaulters: For foreigners: revocation of their permanent residency, and deportation; For Nigerians: prosecution with the Lagos COVID-19 Law.”

He also noted that greater vigilance is now necessary at churches, mosques and other places of religious worship.

“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 governor announced full compliance with all protective protocols beginning from Sunday.

He directed 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.