The federal government Government has adjusted the the nationwide night curfew imposed across the country to check the spread of COVID-19 pandemic from 10:00pm to 12:00 midnight till 4:00am.
This was disclosed by the National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on Control of COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu, at a media briefing on Thursday.
He said that those on essential services are exempted from the curfew hours.
“We are modifying the curfew to commence from 12 midnight to 4am nationwide, effective from 12:01 hours tonight.
“This does not apply to people on essential services and international travellers that might be returning from abroad,” he said.
Aliyu said: “In terms of other aspects of general movement.
“No formal restriction will be applied within the country but the risk remains there for citizens in particular vulnerable groups, the elderly, those with underlying medical illnesses are strongly advised to continue keeping away from mass gatherings and general public and staying at home.
“We will be engaging closely with state governments with regards to the issue of compliance particularly with face masks because we remain quite concerned about the low level of compliance with this simple intervention measure that we know is quite effective.
“The key changes when it comes to aviation is the mandatory need for persons coming into the country to have a valid negative covid PCR result before boarding and these need to be valid within 96 hours, preferably 72 hours of boarding.
“For land and rail transport, there are no limitations anymore on inter and intrastate travel but service providers must abide by status stipulations from the Federal Ministry of Transport and ensure that PPEs are used and where applicable physical distancing is observed,” he said.
The PTF coordinator schools and night clubs across the country would remain shut.He said the restrictions in markets, restaurants, parks, cinemas and other have been relaxed.
He said international flights for selected airlines would commence on September 5. 2020 as scheduled.
He said junior civil servants would remain at home until further adjustment has been about by the federal government.
“In terms of working arrangements for the private sector, we will allow the private sector to determine the optimal working capacity within their offices while ensuring enough physical distancing and preserving the health care of workers in their employ.
“For the public sector, we are maintaining the restriction and encouraging the work-at-home policy for staff below the level of grade level 12. Those at grade level 12 and above will be allowed to come to work.
“In terms of communal commercial spaces including markets, we are removing old restrictions on opening days and limits in stores, but store owners must take responsibility by abiding with non-pharmaceutical interventions and policies to safeguard their staff and patrons of their facilities, and we will be working with the FCT and other state governments and make sure that their task forces for compliance continue to be effective during this period.
“For the hospitality and entertainment industry, hotels will continue to remain open but observing all non-pharmaceutical interventions. Amusement parks, gyms and cinemas can open but at half capacity. Event centers that provide outdoor spaces can open but not indoor event centers.
“Eateries and restaurants can only open for outdoor services and we will make sure this is complied with. Bars and nightclubs to remain closed until further notice. “Each of authority within the state can provide additional guidelines for minimizing risk in the state as it relates to these facilities and industries.
“For the National Youth service Corp, the NYSC is to consolidate on safety measures currently being put in place and start preparing for reopening of orientation comes when educational institutions open, and we are in the process of developing a strict guidelines to ensure that no outbreak of COVID-19 when this process starts.”
On the forthcoming elections in sone parts of the country, Aliyu said the Presidential Task Force would work closely with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for successful polls.
“We are pleased that the last elections that were conducted in Nasarawa State, I believe was successful. We will continue to partner closely with INEC to ensure that the election process does not pose a risk to the spread of covid.
“INEC would ensure compliance with the publicize policy on conducting safe elections in the context of COVID-19 in particular the mandatory use of face masks. No face masks, no voting, provision of hand sanitizers at polling units temperature checks at polling units and observation of physical distancing in all electoral activities.
“For educational institutions which includes daycare, primary secondary and tertiary care, educational institutions should begin the process of working towards potentially reopening within this phase. However, we strongly recommend that states conduct risk assessment to ensure all schools at a level of compliance and create a monetary mechanism to assess and monitor that level of compliance.
“Meanwhile all daycare educational institutions to remain closed to in-person classes until this level of risk is assessed and if there will be opening, it must be staged and preferably carried out in phases to ensure that this does not pose a risk to the general public and in particular to vulnerable groups that might end up getting infected by students going back home.
“For religious centers, we continue to restrict opening subject to the protocols agreed by respective state governments and FCT and centers are strongly advised to prioritize multiple services to prevent overcrowding and facilitate a physical distancing.
“For recreational facilities and sports, nothing has changed. We have already removed restrictions on outdoor communal non-contact sports and the use of recreational park or to provide physical exercise.
“For Gathering iincluding wedding, parties meetings, etc, we are expanding the limit to 50 people preferably outdoors not in enclosed spaces and attendees must wear face masks and they must ensure proper sanitization of their hands and maintaining physical distance.
“We will make available this updated protocol for release to the general public. We hope that as we continue to progressively open up our economy, the general public will continue to cooperate and comply with us when it comes to the implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions.
“We cannot afford to go back to where we were they go we before, we have made substantial progress as a country in terms of our COVID response, but we are still in a very risky period,” he said.
