Convert abandoned buildings, schools to isolation centres, FG tells states

The Federal Government has urged state governments to consider using schools and abandoned buildings as isolation centres.

National Coordinator, Presidential Task Force on the COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, gave the advice on Monday at the 29th joint national briefing of the PTF.

According to him, as the nation has entered the community-based transmission, states need to expand their isolation and treatment capacities to avoid being caught unprepared.

• Rivers: Gov Wike demolishes 2 hotels for flouting lockdown order
• COVID-19: FG lists Lagos, FCT, Kano, Ogun, Kaduna, Sokoto for WHO drug trials

“I must emphasise the need for state governments to continue to identify spaces for isolation of persons diagnosed positive with COVID-19.

“It’s important that we start considering unusual environments such as schools, academic institutions and even abandoned buildings because we definitely need to build our isolation capacities.

“You may recall that the PTF provided guidance on ensuring that at least 300 beds are made available across all states for isolating people with COVID-19 and we’re so concerned that a lot of states are yet to reach that number,” Aliyu said.

He said the taskforce was committed to protecting the socio-economic interest of all Nigerians all through the period of the pandemic and post COVID-19.

He said: “In particular, we’ll continue to ensure the protection of health services system by collaboration with ministries, departments and agencies, we’ll continue to ensure the social protection and provision of basic services including the protection of jobs, both within the formal and informal sectors, as well as encouraging multilateral collaboration with the public and private sectors.”