The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on the Novel Coronavirus has advised against keeping asymptomatic patients of COVID-19 in isolation centres.
National Coordinator of the PTF, Dr. Sani Aliyu, gave the advice, on Wednesday, in Abuja, saying said such persons, who constitute about 80 per cent of those infected, were better treated in more comfortable places like hotels.
Dr. Aliyu charged states to start preparing and equipping isolation centres with not less than 300 beds.
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He explained that the advice to keep those with little or no symptoms away from hospitals and regular isolation centres was because they would not need serious treatment or monitoring, adding that this would make spaces more adequate for those with serious symptoms.
He appealed to citizens to take the outbreak with seriousness, warning that “We must do everything to prevent another spike in the spread of the virus during the eased lockdown phase.
“I’ll like to again emphasise the need for us all to take personal responsibility” for themselves and their loved ones, to observe and obey the new eased lockdown guidelines, regretting the level of abandonment that greeted the commencement of the eased lockdown, on Tuesday, especially in Lagos State.
While warning that the COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria was far from being over, easing of lockdown notwithstanding, he urged Nigerians to cooperate with security agents in observing the guidelines recently issued for the eased lockdown, reeling out some of the critical rules and regulations to be observed so as to keep the spread of the infection down.
“Secondly, we also had a bundle of measures which we realised, if fully implemented, if fully delivered by everybody, will have the same impact as that of an absolute lockdown.
“I must emphasise that the COVID-19 emergency in Nigeria is far from over. Our chances of coming out of this crisis sooner, rather than later, depends on our absolute compliance to the eased lockdown guidelines. The guidelines have specific aspects within them that I’ll like to emphasise.
“Apart from the mandatory overnight curfew nationwide, from 8pm to 6am, we have also provided guidance to banks with regards to access and ensuring that physical distancing applies as well as rules around mass gatherings. We’ve provided guidance on opening times for buses and motor parks, for construction sites and for restaurants.”