The Nigerian government has issued new guidelines for the Covid-19 pandemic as cases of infection from the virus soared in the country.
Report from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control say the country has witnessed over 4,000 in 24 hours, a situation the centre blamed on the Omicron variant of the virus.
To prevent a further surge in the spread, the government through the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 has urged Nigerians to celebrate the festivities with caution.
PSC COVID-19 Chairman, who is also Mr. Boss Mustapha, chairman of the PSC and also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said in a statement: “As we prepare to celebrate with our families and loved ones, it is important that we do so safely by taking the necessary precautionary measures to stop the further spread of COVID-19 in our country.
He reminded the citizens that “Nigeria is now experiencing the 4th wave of COVID- 19, leading to the rise in new cases.
“This is the result of a mix of very low vaccination coverage, increased travels and movements, reduced compliance to public health social measures and highly transmissible Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant now circulating in the country,” Mustapha said.
“Avoid activities that involve mass gathering, especially in enclosed spaces, as follows; Families are advised to limit the number of visitors to their homes and put in place precautionary safety measures;
“Any gathering in excess of 50 people should be done in open spaces with physical distancing;
“Indoor religious congregation should be limited to 50 per cent capacity with full compliance to public health social measures; and Face masks and hand sanitizers should be used at all times regardless of vaccination status while in public spaces…”
