The Federal Government has advised that large social gatherings should be avoided during the Christmas and New Year festivities, because there is a bigger risk of Covid-19 transmission.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, stated this during the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 media briefing in Abuja, Monday.
He further advised that “ahead of the upsurge in travels for the Christmas and New Year festivities, we urge strongly that for this year, such trips should be put on hold firmly because of the risks involved.
“The transmission rate has simply become astronomical.
“The PTF similarly finds it necessary to mention that new clusters of cases can emerge in places that have so far been unaffected as people travel and gather for festivities.
“But we can lower the risks by adhering to the NPIs and celebrate, safely. There will always be many more festive seasons to celebrate.
“The developments at home and around the world particularly in the United States of America and in Europe remain major sources of concern to the PTF.
“This is particularly so because our risk perception is low in-country; our compliance with Non-Pharmaceutical measures is extremely low to the extent that Nigerians now think COVID-19 is no more; the response of citizens to testing and detection is very low; the risk of importation will be higher with the opening of our airspace; and the numbers in Nigeria, though appearing low over the last two weeks, has been rising gradually.”
