* Shuts some Isolation Centres as cases reduce
* Begins fumigation of public schools ahead of partial resumption
The Lagos State government on Saturday announced the reopening of worship centre starting Friday, August 7 for Muslims and Sunday, August 9 for Christians.
The governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, announced this during the 17th Update on the Management of Coronavirus in the State at Lagos House, Marina.
Sanwo-Olu said that Churches whose main worship days fall on Saturdays, are permitted to hold their services on Saturdays, subject to the same guidelines as Churches holding services on Sundays.
He however said that the religious houses are to open for only 50 per cent of their capacity.
“Places of worship in Lagos State will be allowed to open from Friday the 7th of August for our Muslim worshippers, and Sunday the 9th of August for Christian worshippers.
“We must reiterate that places of worship are only permitted to have their regular once-a-week services on the designated days.
“For the avoidance of doubt, churches and mosques are not permitted to have other services or fellowships outside of their main weekly services.
“Places of worship are allowed to schedule multiple services, on their designated worship days, if necessary, as well as also encouraging as many people as possible to participate using virtual means,” the governor said.
According to him, only regular services and gatherings are permitted to hold, as night vigils and other non-regular programmes remain prohibited until further notice.
He said that attendees over the age of 65 years are strongly discouraged from attending worship services.
Sanwo-Olu said that services should be held in well-ventilated areas or outdoors, as circumstances and faith traditions allow.
He said that worship centres must maintain “No Face mask, No Entry” policy throughout the duration of the services.
“Regular cleaning and disinfection of facilities must be carried out to maintain clean and hygienic environments before and after every service.
“Appropriate screening equipment for COVID-19 symptoms such as a contactless temperature check must be available for entrants into the facility.
“It is mandatory to provide hand-washing facilities and sanitiser at the entry and exit point of the premises.
“National emergency response phone lines must be displayed prominently on the premises.
“”Handshakes, Hugs and ‘high-fives’ are not permitted at services or gatherings, and this should be emphasised by displaying appropriate signs prominently,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The governor said that the use of stationary collection boxes and electronic methods for collection of offering must be encouraged.
He also said that the flow of human traffic in and out of these places of worship must be conducted in an organised and orderly manner.
The government also said it has intensified the periodic fumigation of public secondary schools, in preparation for the partial resumption of terminal class students.
The Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Mrs. Aderonke Odeneye, said in a statement on Saturday that majority of the public secondary schools in the six educational districts had been reached.
Odeneye said that the exercise was part of the resumption protocol/guidelines for the secondary schools in the state.
She said that Lagos had continued to adopt measures to ensure that the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic was effectively contained.
“The fumigation exercise which is on-going, preparatory to resumption next week for terminal classes will continue after the West Africa Examination Council’s (WAEC) Exams.
“The periodic exercise which commenced in late June has been effected in all the model colleges,” Odeneye said.
The permanent secretary urged schools’ managements to make provisions for water in the premises with a view to promoting hand washing among the students.
She said that pupils must avoid all sporting activities till further notice.
Odeneye also implored schools’ managements to provide alcohol-based hand sanitisers in all classrooms and hostels.
She urged that schools should ensure that students are tutored on the need to constantly sanitise their hands after every educational activity in the classrooms and wear nose masks always.
“Schools are to enforce physical distancing where applicable and also provide facilities to reduce the risk of the infection amongst teachers and students.
”Disinfection of shoes and feet should be strongly encouraged for each student to reduce bacterial infection,” Odeneye said.
The government also announced the closure of the Eti-Osa Isolation Center in the State.
The governor said: “Some of the isolation centers now have less than 20 percent of occupancy.”
He also stated that the Agidingbi Isolation Centre would also be closed and patients relocated to a large capacity center – Indo-Centre in the Anthony area, which would soon be inaugurated.
“Over the last four to five months, we have built excess capacity center.
“We have gotten to a point where we need to balance the economics to know which of these facilities we need to keep running because some of them now are having less than 20 percent of occupancy.
“This is why we reach a conclusion to shut Eti-Osa facility and another one in Lekki,’’ the governor said.
Sanwo-Olu further explained that the Infectious Diseases Hospital, IDH, in Yaba has gradually being reverted to its former status as a hospital to cater to all forms of infectious diseases.
However, he said that the Ca-COVID dedicated tent on the IDH grounds would remain strictly for COVID-19 cases.
“I must also mention that we have recorded a decrease in positivity rates in Lagos State over the past two weeks, which, combined with the increase in testing numbers, gives an encouraging picture of the outcome of our response strategy.
“It now over five months since the first case of coronavirus was recorded in Nigeria.
“Since then, Nigeria has seen more than 43,000 infections and significant disruption of social, religious, educational, and economic life, like every other part of the world.
“As of July 31, Lagos state has had a total of 15,150 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 10,835 persons who have recovered and discharged.
“Sadly, we have also lost 194 persons to the virus.
“This leaves us with 1,813 active cases in the community which are under management across various isolation centers in the State,” he added.