The Federal Government on Thursday dismissed the rumour making rounds that there will be a fresh lockdown due to the third wave of Coronavirus pandemic.
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, while reacting to a question on the third wave of COVID-19, ruled out the possibility of a fresh lockdown.
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Ehanire said what most developed countries embrace is precision lockdown.
He said, “Lockdown is a very, very last measure that countries are taking because lockdown stifles economic activity, restricts your own freedom and your business – corporate business, government business, private business all are affected.
“So it’s not something you do easily. And of course when we were compelled to have that lockdown at the beginning we learnt a lot of lessons.
“You know, at that time government provided palliatives to release the impact of it, if you couldn’t go to market if you couldn’t do your business.
“But this is not what government is aiming to do. No government wants to do a lockdown.
“In countries where they have had serious threat they have had to do what they call a precision lockdown like in the UK.
“In fact, Israel the other day announced that they’re doing some lockdown, but there’s no more generalised lockdown, but precision lockdown of certain areas.
“So, many countries do what they call precision lockdown so that not everybody will be affected, only certain areas to avoid too much damage to the economy, to social life.
“And we are not at the level yet where we are feeling that threat to do any lockdown. And as I speak to you now there are several countries that are on one kind of locked or the other, if my recollection is correct at least six or seven countries that are doing one form of lockdown or the other. We do not have that on the table right.”
