Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Monday says Nigerians within the country and in the diaspora should stay away from festivities such as Christmas carols.
Chairman of the PTF, Boss Mustapha; the national coordinator, Sani Aliyu; the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire; and the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu, through their speeches at the weekly briefing of the task force in Abuja, made this known.
Speaking as one, they warned against non-essential travels just as it asked Nigerians abroad to remain wherever they are or stand the risk of being stranded in the country in the event that the government takes a decision on international travels.
Mustapaha said the PTF was escalating its surveillance and testing drive to ensure that the spread of the virus was effectively contained as the nation approaches the festive season.
He added that the while vaccine was an important achievement, he urged the citizens to continue to comply with the non-pharmaceutical interventions before the vaccines would become available.
“We shall continue to remind Nigerians that all non-essential trips should be put off this December. This is for your safety and good health
“The PTF is already working on the strategy for gaining access to the vaccine as soon as they are available,” he said.
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Meanwhile, Aliyu while speaking called on Nigerians, saying, “Don’t come home for Christmas.”
He advised Nigerians in the Diaspora not to consider coming home, urging them to celebrate Christmas and New Year wherever they are.
He said, “Nigerians outside the country, hopefully they will stay where they are. And for Nigerians in-country, we will also stay where we are.
“Please, for this period, if your travel is not essential, stay where you are. We are actively discouraging Nigerians abroad from coming home this Christmas because of COVID-19 and the number of infections we have outside the country.
“So, the message is; if you do not want to get stranded, if you do not want to bring COVID-19 to your elderly relatives in Nigeria, please stay where you are. There will be other holidays.”
At the press briefing, Ihekweazu said Christmas carols, travels and other gatherings during festivities were capable of turning out to be “super spreaders” of the virus, hence the need for Nigerians to avoid them as much as possible.
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