Lagos State government has kicked off ‘#MaskUpLagos’ campaign, the compulsory wearing of face masks in the State as residents continue to observe the lockdown.
The State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who disclosed this, said that the state government is currently producing about 3million face masks for distribution to the vulnerable.
Sanwo-Olu, on his official twitter handle @jidesanwoolu, explained that face masks protects against droplets and secretions from coughing and sneezing among others, noting that not everyone that is infected will show symptoms.
“Face masks, combined with frequent hand washing, being conscious about NOT touching our face as well as social distancing are effective in slowing the spread. The state government is currently producing about 3 million face masks for distribution to the vulnerable,” he said.
The N95 and surgical masks he said helps the medical workers stay safe while cloth masks made to specifications that will be released by the State Ministry of Health combined with other guidelines will help protect residents from COVID-19.
He, therefore, urged residents to leave the medical-grade N95 masks for the use of medical workers, who need them the most.
“All of us who are not medical workers should make do with simple cloth masks. The virus is in our communities, let’s take this seriously. MaskUpLagos,” he appealed.
Sanwo-Olu further said: “We have commenced arrangements for the production of large quantities of face-masks for the use of the people of Lagos State. This is indeed a great opportunity for many businesses, small and large, in the State, to contribute to the COVID-19 response while also getting a chance to do business and earn money.”
He appealed to the private sector to patronise the manufacturers, and purchase face masks for distribution to their employees.
Lagos remains the epicentre of the coronavirus in Nigeria with 689 confirmed cases.
Governors of the 36 States of the federation have advised the federal government to allow internal free movement but with restrictions on large gatherings and assemblies as the second 14-day lockdown on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos, and Ogun States in order to stop the spread of the novel COVID-19 ends on midnight Monday.
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