The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has warned that protesters gathering in large numbers for the ongoing #EndSARS protests risk contracting and spreading the COVID-19 virus.
The PTF also warned Nigerians against travelling to the United States of America, United Kingdom, India, Russia and France, or receiving visitors from those countries.
National Coordinator of the PTF, Dr Sani Aliyu, spoke during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday.
Answering a question on the protests, he said, “On the impact of what has been going on and incidence of (having) new COVID-19 infections in the country, we are monitoring the situation in terms of testing closely.
“We will continue to urge all – the young, the old, and the vulnerable – to please be careful. Any mass gathering of any sort is an event amplifying the situation for COVID-19. And COVID-19 is still very much around with us, we don’t want to get infected and carry the infection to our loved ones, especially those at home that might be vulnerable.”
The task force’s chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, also urged the #EndSARS protesters to harken to the invitation to dialogue, emphasising that non-compliance with the non-pharmaceutical protocols were risky adventures that must be avoided.
“We urge everyone who has been exposed unduly to large gathering to get tested and/or report any signs of the symptoms of COVID-19,” he said.
Mustapha also noted that the global cases of COVID-19 rose by a record 400,000 cases on October 16 with 43 per cent of all the cases occurring in Europe, especially in the UK and France.
“The top five countries in new cases reported in the last 24 hours are India (55,511); USA (44,941); France (29,837); UK (16,982) and Russia (15,099).
“It is important to take precaution when planning to travel or receive travellers from these countries,” he said.
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