COVID-19: Banks to open fully as domestic flights resume from June 21

The Federal Government has approved the opening of the nation’s airport for domestic flights from June 21.

The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Dr. Sani Aliyu, said this on Monday in Abuja, at the 38th joint national briefing of the committee.

• FG relaxes ban on gathering, shrinks curfew by 4 hours

This is as he said that the ban on inter-state travels remains in place.

He however said that the nationwide curfew though remains in place, but has been reduced to 10pm—4am from 8pm-6am.

“Effective from tomorrow, Tuesday, June 2, 2020, the easing of the lockdown will be characterised by the following: The nationwide curfew will remain in place but the timing of this will be reduced to 10pm-4am.

“And just to clarify, the purpose of the curfew is to limit social interactions and, therefore, reduce the risk of transmission of the virus,” Aliyu said.

He insisted that persons who are on essential duty remain exempted from the curfew as the nation moves into the second phase of the gradual easing of the COVID-19 lockdown.

According to him, such persons include healthcare and media services providers, as well as those working in the nation’s critical sectors.

Aliyu also announced the reopening of the nation’s financial sectors, adding that they would be fully operational.

He said, “There will be full opening of financial sectors, with banks now allowed to operate normal working hours, five days a week.

The mass gathering of 20 people outside a workplace or places of worship remains prohibited.

“There will be controlled access to markets and locations of economic activities, but local authorities will continue to provide guidance on opening times,” he said.

He explained that the restricted opening of places of worship would be based on the protocols of the respective state governments and that this will be done with strict guidelines on physical distancing and other non-pharmaceutical interventions and would apply to regular church and mosque services only.

He said that while hotels may reopen, restaurants outside of hotels must remain closed for eat-in, except takeout or take away orders only.

He said, “Bars, gyms, cinemas, nightclubs, parks closed until further evaluation. All schools to remain closed until further evaluation.”