SECOND WAVE OF COVID -19: NEED FOR STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH GUIDELINES AND PROTOCOLS

 

With the global resurgence of COVID-19 and the current increase  in the number of new daily infections in our state and country, there is an urgent  need to raise public consciousness to  the need for  strict adherence  to the AKSG/NCDC/WHO COVID-19 guidelines and protocol in the interest of  individual and  public health of our dear state.

In the past few weeks, the State Government has observed a drastic lowering of COVID-19 guidelines and protocols compliance  by a significant percentage of citizens and residents in  our state. Specifically, people no longer use face masks regularly; religious events no longer adhere to COVID-19 protocols and guidelines for the conduct of services among other acts of  non compliance .

To this end, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has directed as follows:

1. All State Government events requiring large crowds are hereby cancelled.

2. Strict enforcement of COVID-19 guidelines and protocols  be strictly enforced at the Christmas village.

3. Large political meetings are discouraged until the current spike COVID-19 infections  is reduced.

4. Religious leaders must adhere strictly to the guidelines and protocols  for programmes as developed by the Christian Association of Nigeria ( CAN) and submitted to government.

5. School administrators must ensure  compulsory and proper use of face masks by students, teachers and everyone in the school premises.

6. All COVID-19 guidelines and protocols must be strictly adhered to by everyone:

6.1 Use of face masks remains compulsory in all public buildings, offices, public places,  tricycles, buses, cars, churches, mosques, markets, hotels, schools, etc.

6.2  Social distancing must be maintained in all public events ( indoor and outdoor), in tricycles, cars, taxis, buses, schools, churches, etc.

6.3 Regular hand washing with running water;

6.4 Regular use of sanitizers in homes, offices, public buildings, schools, churches, mosques, hotels, markets, etc;

6.5 Personal temperature measurements at entry points into all public buildings, churches, schools, etc ; high body  Temperatures are to be reported to the nearest medical facility.

6.6. Hotels, bars, night clubs, restaurants, fastfood outlets and tourism resorts to adhere strictly to further specific guidelines and  protocols  as outlined by the COVID-19 Guidelines and Protocol Task Force of the Hotel and Tourism Management Board.

7.  All COVID-19 Guidelines and Protocol Compliance Monitoring Teams in Churches, Mosques,  Markets, Motor Parks, check points, etc, are hereby directed to increase the frequency, intensity,  scope and scale of their monitoring activities. 

We owe ourselves and our state a duty to help curb the rapid spread of the dreaded corona virus by undertaking all necessary precautionary measures as issued  by AKSG, NCDC and WHO and other relevant public health Organizations. 

While the government is battle ready to fight and contain the  pandemic, we must act cautiously, not carelessly to keep safe and save others. Recently, the test results from our PCR laboratory clearly indicate a sharp increase  in the number of new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our state.

Compliance with COVID-19 Guidelines and Protocol is better than another LOCKDOWN.

Signed

Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem 

Secretary to State Government and Chairman of COVID-19 Management Committee, Akwa Ibom State