COVID-19: FG Recommends Use Of Face-Masks. Says New Labs Underutilized

*recommends use of face masks
…says ‘new Labs underutilized ‘
The Federal Government has recommended the use of face masks by Nigerians in order to reduce their susceptibility to infection by the Novel Coronavirus.

According to the government, Nigerians do not have to resort to using ‘medical-grade’ or surgical masks which are normally discarded after four hours of usage, advising that homemade masks which are cheap and reusable would serve the same purpose.

This was as the government said it has successfully traced about 92 percent of targeted contacts since the lockdown of Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states were proclaimed by President Muhammadu Buhari on March 29 as part of emergency regulations to halt the spread of the Novel Coronavirus.

No fewer than 6,700 contacts were being traced as at when the lockdown was declared.

Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce and Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha disclosed this at the daily briefing of the team in Abuja.

In an apparent reference to a Vanguard news report that Nigeria was slow in conducting tests for COVID-19, the Taskforce said while it now conducts 1, 500 tests daily, some of its new laboratories in the country are currently underutilized.

According to the SGF, “since the broadcast of the President on Sunday 29th March, 2020 the Presidential Task Force has slowed down the spread in order not to overwhelm our fragile health system; intensified case identification, testing, and isolation.