National Coordinator, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu, yesterday condemned the breach of COVID-19 protocol at the Saturday’s flag-off of the All Progressives Congress rally in Edo State and the Sunday’s burial of Senator Buruji Kashamu, who died of coronavirus.
Aliyu said the PTF would continue to engage Nigerians, enlighten them and encourage them to embrace simple steps necessary to protect themselves.
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He said: “The issue is we know that COVID-19 does not act like proper pandemic, proper pandemic like Ebola, you will have dead bodies on the streets, you had people bleeding to death so that shock factor is there, you do not need to do anything further to convince people to protect themselves and to do the right thing.
“I think the problem is not with the message, probably the problem is with the messenger, with the way we communicate, who is really delivering that message. It’s certainly more effective if the message is being delivered by traditional rulers, religious leaders, village heads to provide that information that would enable you protect yourself.”
Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu, represented by Elsie Ilori, Head, Surveillance and Epidemiology Department, NCDC, said: “While the facemask is an additional layer of protection when in public, the purpose is defeated when personal hygiene is poor and preventive measures are not been adhered to.”
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