School Resumption: FG sends warning message to Lagos, Oyo, other states

Ahead of the proposed resumption of academic activities in Lagos and some other states of the federation, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has called for caution among the stakeholders.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and chairman of the PTF, Boss Mustapha, cited instances of how the COVID-19 management situation got out of hand in some other countries due to such haste.

He said: “It is in the above context that the PTF appreciates the on-going calls for re-opening of the education sector and indeed some sub-nationals are already making preparations for such. Whilst the PTF does not discourage making such preparations, we need to be guided by experiences from countries such as Germany, France, the United States and the UK where opening of schools in some cities led to an increase in confirmed cases and fatalities.”

He further made known plans by the FG to reopen more sectors of the economy especially as the nation would be entering a new phase of the eased lockdown. Mustapha said the PTF would present its recommendations to President Muhammadu Buhari this week, which will determine the next phase in the national response.

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He pointed out the decline in the confirmed number of corona virus cases recorded in the country for the past three weeks, noting that, in the last four months of testing, the lowest daily figure of confirmed cases (138) was reported on Sunday, August 30. However, he further urged caution and vigilance on the declining numbers as he noted that the virus is still potent and very dangerous.