Lagos compels wearing of face mask from next week

Abiodun OBA

Lagos State government will from next week begin enforcement of wearing of face mask in public places in the state.

The state governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, announced this measure while updating newsmen at the State House, Marina, on fight against the coronavirus pandemic in the state on Monday.

According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, over one million of locally-made face mask have been contracted out to tailors locally and will be distributed during the week.

He said, “From next week, we are going to be enforcing wearing of face mask in public places. Over a million has been commissioned to tailors and will be distributed during the week”.

The governor, who disclosed that the state had recorded 14 deaths, however, urged the citizens not to panic, adding: “It’s important we do not panic, this pandemic will be over and sizeable number of our people will get well.”

This was as he warned against discriminating against those who had been treated and discharged, saying they were free to relate with their families and community.

He further urged those feeling symptoms of COVID-19 to present themselves for test, disclosing that two more isolation centres at Landmark Centre and Gbagada would be opened on Tuesday.

“The society should desist from stigmatisation. Once certified negative, they are free to join their families and society. We are hoping to open two isolation centres at Landmark Centre and Gbagada,” Sanwo-Olu added.

“We have seen increase of infected people from our neighbouring countries. We have a responsibility to take care of them and they are in our isolation centre. The increased in numbers is evidence of our strategy to rip off the virus,” he further added.

“We have seen that people that are suspected to have the virus have declined to present themselves or going to private hospitals. The isolation centres are not death centres,” he assured.

He advised that by not going for test, the infected are doing the society and themselves a lot of ills.

On security, the governor said the government would continue with “show of force day and night,” adding: “Our people should be able to go to bed with their two eyes closed.”

He also warned against spreading of fake news, urging the media to verify information before they were shared.