Restaurant To Reopen For In-Dining, Recreational Centres To Resume; Full Text Of Sanwo-Olu 17th COVID-19 Update

The Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday announced that the representative of the state government will visit the Murtala Muhammad International Airport next week to access its readiness ahead of the resumption of international flight.

The governor made the announcement in his Seventeenth Update on Coronavirus on Saturday.

EkoHotBlog had reported that the governor had directed academic institutions in the state to reopen next month. 14th and 21th of September are tentative dates fixed for reopening of tertiary Institutions and primary/secondary schools respectively.

The governor also gave restaurants and eatery, whom before now operated on takeaway basis, the nod to open for in dining.

“Restaurants are permitted to open for in-dining services, and they must ensure the maintenance of a 50% maximum occupancy at any point in time. They must also have obtained a Provisional Safety Compliance Certificate through the registration portal of the Lagos State Safety Commission: www.lasgsafetyreg.com” The governor said

Social Clubs and Recreational Centers that have Registered Trustees have also been permitted to open, on the condition that they have applied for and obtained a Provisional Safety Compliance Certificate through the registration portal of the Lagos State Safety Commission: www.lasgsafetyreg.com.

Below is the full Text of the update

Dear Lagosians,
1. On Monday August 24, 2020, our very own Commissioner for Health, and the Deputy Incident Commander for the Lagos State Coronavirus Response, Professor Akin Abayomi, announced that he had tested positive for the virus.
2. I am pleased to note that Prof Abayomi is doing well and in high spirits, and even in isolation continues to discharge his duties as Health Commissioner and Deputy Incident Commander.
3. Yesterday marked six months since the first case of Coronavirus was recorded in Nigeria, from a traveler who landed in Lagos from Europe. Since then the situation in Nigeria has progressed from travel-related infections to the community transmission stage, bringing with it, significant disruptions and changes to the way we live, socialize, worship and work.
4. As at today, August 29, Lagos State has had a total of 18,083 confirmed cases of Covid-19. Of this number, we have 13,636 persons who have recovered in the community; with 1,820 still currently active in the community. Over the course of this pandemic, about 2,700 persons have been admitted into our various isolation centers across the state; and of this number, we have registered 204 fatalities. This leaves us with 47 active cases under management across various government owned isolation centers; and private care centers in the State.
5. Lagos State continues to be the epi-center not only of the pandemic; but also, I am pleased to say, of the response as well. We continue to lead the way in testing, tracing and treating aggressively, and adapting our responses to the rapidly evolving nature of the pandemic situation.
6. I am also pleased to announce that our modeling shows that all our efforts at responding to this pandemic, are achieving the desired goal of flattening the curve, as we continue to see a consistent decline in the rate of confirmed Covid-19 infections in the State.
7. I must however say that even as we continue to record a decline in the number of newly confirmed cases in the State, this is not the time to rest on our oars and completely disregard the very necessary safety precautions that have been issued for our safety and well-being.
8. I have previously noted, we now have two pathways through which confirmed Covid-19 cases are managed in the State: either through our Home-Based Strategy, or in designated COVID Care Centers, supported by access to telemedicine services through the State-owned EKOTELEMED, and also medical visits by our health personnel.
9. With regards to our Home-based care strategy, we have dedicated Covid care packs that are issued to those who have tested positive and are being managed through the Home- Based care route.
10. In terms of testing, we now have in Lagos State four (4) public laboratories and ten (10) private laboratories, accredited and approved for the testing for Covid-19. Testing in any of the four public laboratories is available free of charge for those who meet the case definition, which means those who are showing Covid-like symptoms or have had close contacts with confirmed cases.
11. Testing in the private laboratories is available at a fee for those who wish to test either out of curiosity or to fulfill travel or work requirements.
12. Dear Lagosians, it is important to set out a number of reminders regarding the status of the pandemic in our State.
13. The Coronavirus is still very much with us; while we have recorded a steady decline in the number of newly confirmed cases in the State, we must however continue to remember the easy transmissibility nature of this virus and the fact that it poses very severe consequences for the very vulnerable segment of our population. This, we must never forget.
14. The fact that we have been seeing a gradual easing of the lockdown does not mean that we are now returning to our old way of doing things. The easing you are seeing is the outcome of a careful and deliberate attempt to ensure that livelihoods are not crippled by the overwhelmingly disruptive impact of the virus. It is certainly not an invitation to carelessness or nonchalance.
15. We must all continue to adhere to the guidelines as outlined by the health authorities: Wear a mask in all public places, maintain physical distancing as much as possible, and wash or sanitize your hands frequently and thoroughly. Avoid handshakes and hugs, and avoid mass gatherings.

1. A big part of the responsibility for enforcing these guidelines also lie with us as individuals. Shop and business owners and transporters have a duty to refuse entry and service to people who are not wearing masks. Religious leaders have a responsibility to ensure that services are conducted in full compliance with the relevant guidelines as spelt out by the NCDC and the Lagos State Government.
2. We must all show commitment to protecting ourselves and other people, because there can be no collective safety without individual safety. We are only as strong as the most vulnerable amongst us.
3. Dear Lagosians, let me now go on to remind us of the already-existing permissions and restrictions; as well as new easing provisions to be unveiled in the coming days.
4. As we are all aware, the Federal Government has announced the reopening of our international airspace, with international flights to resume at both the Lagos and Abuja International airports on September 5, 2020.
5. To this end, on our part in Lagos, we are working assiduously with the Federal Ministry of Aviation and NCDC to put in place robust and adequate measures that will continue to guarantee the safety and well-being of our people in the light of renewed international air-travel.
6. Furthermore, in the course of this week, we will be visiting the International Airport to gauge the level of preparedness and other ancillary matters.
7. I will now go on to remind us of the existing permissions and restrictions; as well as newly revised opening dates for our learning institutions:
   a. Firstly, we are pleased to announce that tertiary institutions will reopen from September 14, 2020. However, as regards Primary and Secondary Schools, we are working towards reopening these institutions anytime from September 21, 2020. This decision is not cast in stone and is subject to a review of our ongoing modelling of the State’s response to the pandemic.
   b. Restaurants are permitted to open for in-dining services, and they must ensure the maintenance of a 50% maximum occupancy at any point in time. They must also have obtained a Provisional Safety Compliance Certificate through the registration portal of the Lagos State Safety Commission: www.lasgsafetyreg.com.
   c. Social Clubs and Recreational Centers that have Registered Trustees have also been permitted to open, on the condition that they have applied for and obtained a Provisional Safety Compliance Certificate through the registration portal of the Lagos State Safety Commission: www.lasgsafetyreg.com.
   d. I must put on record here that we are sympathetic to the plight of business owners, particularly in the hospitality and tourism sectors. We are still reviewing the permissible opening dates for these businesses and will advise on this during the month of September. For the avoidance of doubt, all Event Centers, Bars, Lounges, Night Clubs, Spas, Beaches, Cinemas, Gyms and Game Arcades remain closed for now.
   e. All civil servants in the state’s unified public service system are to comply with prevailing guidelines and roster schedules issued by the Head of Service and/or their MDAs.
8. As a government, we will continue to keep you informed and updated on the decisions that we are taking in response to the pandemic. We will also continue to ask for your understanding and cooperation. These are challenging times for all of us, requiring extra levels of patience, sacrifice and understanding.
9. I would like to once again thank all our frontline health workers, and non-medical personnel – drivers, cleaners, attendants – for your unflinching dedication and service to the fight against this pandemic.
10. Our gratitude also goes to all our Monitoring and Compliance Teams at the State and Local Government levels for their efforts so far.
11. I equally thank all of our security agencies – the Police; the Military; the Department of State Security and the Civil Defence Corps and others – for working hard to help maintain law and order.
    Babajide Sanwo-Olu
    Governor of Lagos State
    29 August, 2020.