COVID-19 Update: Presidential Steering Committee clears confusion over restrictions

12 May COVID-19 Update: Presidential Steering Committee clears confusion over restrictions

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee, (PSC) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, has cleared the confusion caused by misrepresentation in the briefing of the PSC on Monday.

There were reports yesterday about the introduction of new measure by the Federal Government to curb the pandemic.

Mustapha, who spoke to News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja, said it was erroneously reported that the federal government had re-introduced a nationwide curfew between 12 a.m. and 4 a.m. as part of the COVID-19 safety protocols.

He stated that the announcement by the National Incident Manager, Dr. Mukhtar Mohammed, during the PSC press briefing was taken out of context because the federal government did not relax the curfew imposed earlier under Phase Three of the eased lockdown.

He explained that what Mohammed said was that the federal government was maintaining the curfew under the Phase Four of the phased restriction of movement.

“Under the Fourth Phase of restriction of movement, night clubs, gyms and others will remain closed till further notice; while all citizens will also ensure that mass gatherings outside work settings do not exceed maximum of 50 people in an enclosed space.

“These restrictions have been in existence under the Third Phase but are being maintained under the Phase Four of the phased restriction of movement,” said the SGF.

He further said because people had been violating the safety protocols, they had forgotten that the protocols were never relaxed in the first place.

“Therefore, the PSC hereby reiterates that there is no newly introduced lockdown. There is no need for the panic that followed the announcement of the Fourth Phase of the phased restriction of movement.

“We will continue to appeal to members of the public to comply with these restrictions because they are necessary safety measures against contracting the dreaded coronavirus, which is still ravaging human populations across the world,” said Mustapha.

Tuesday Caseload: On Tuesday, Nigeria reported 47 new cases and zero deaths, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,515, with 156,358 recoveries and 2,065 deaths

The 47 new cases were in: Adamawa-19, Lagos-16, Enugu-3, Kaduna-3, Akwa Ibom-2, Delta-2, FCT-2.