TheNewsGuru

Tag: PTF

  • Why Plateau is new epicentre of coronavirus in Nigeria – PTF

    Why Plateau is new epicentre of coronavirus in Nigeria – PTF

    Dr Sani Aliyu, Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) has said that Plateau state is now the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) hot centre as more cases are been confirmed in the state.

    Aliyu, who spoke at the PTF daily briefing on Monday in Abuja, said that the state was leading in confirmed cases because it was testing more.

    He advised other states to conduct more tests like Lagos and Plateau to be able to get positive cases and treat them fast.

    “We are seeing a gradual shift in the areas of high infection burden, with Plateau reporting the highest number of confirmed cases.

    “Of course, this can be related to increased testing by citizens of the state.

    “However, we also need to look at the flip side that there are a number of highly undetected cases lying around which we need to discover and deal with early, “ he said.

    On the planned resumption of international flights, he said that incoming passengers would be required to be certified COVID-19 negative very close to the departure date.

    He said that they would also be required to undergo another COVID-19 test eight days after arrival in Nigeria.

    Aliyu said that the other requirements included registration on the Nigeria International Travel Portal where payment for the second test would be made, and filling of health declaration form online.

    The coordinator warned that any passenger who would fail to comply with a second COVID-19 test in Nigeria would risk ban for six months.

    He added that the person would be blacklisted by the Nigeria Immigrated Service and security agencies, and face some other punishments.

  • Nigeria will get fair share of COVID-19 vaccines, PTF assures

    Nigeria will get fair share of COVID-19 vaccines, PTF assures

    As countries of the world frantically race towards securing allocations of COVID-19 vaccine doses as soon as they are available, the Federal Government on Thursday expressed confidence that Nigeria would secure a fair share.

    It however, criticised the move by some countries to nationalise and politicise vaccine distribution and accessibility, terming it as a failure of global leadership.

    The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, made this known during the Presidential Task Force briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja.

    He said, “Nigeria is also working with World Health Organization (WHO) to finalize enrolment with ACT Accelerator, a global mechanism tracking and sponsoring research Organisations working on COVID-19 vaccine development.

    “We are also interested in the COVAX facility, a GAVI supported global initiative to procure and assure equitable access to vaccines, as soon as they are available, especially for lower middle Income Countries (LMIC). This will prioritize Nigeria for allocation of a part of 2 billion vaccines doses that will be secured, in a special plan to protect the interests of poorer countries.

    “The changing dynamics of the virus and the disease make it necessary for us to continue to review our response strategies, ensure we train and update our health workers on the latest and most effective approach to treatment of the disease and tailor our procurement in the light of knowledge gained.

    “The Information session on COVID-19, conducted weekly by the World Health Organization (WHO) was held this morning. I had the opportunity of sharing our experience in Nigeria, as one of two countries invited to make presentations on our response strategies.

    “A clear message from this briefing is that COVID-19 is a threat to mankind and there is need for all countries to work together for solutions that will allow equitable access. In the words of the Director General of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, ‘By working together, we are protecting each other. In a global pandemic, none of us is safe until all of us are safe.”

    The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, in a television interview on Tuesday in Abuja, said, “What you see at the moment for a race to a vaccine is a failure of global leadership. Countries should not be fighting for vaccines like children fighting for a toy in a playground.

    “When we had a multilateral world, where collaboration and cooperation was the norm, you wouldn’t have seen a fight like this. You would have seen countries come together and agree on an equitable way to access vaccines.

    “We must recognise that every man’s life matter and the life of someone living in one part of the world does not have more value than someone living in another parts of the world.

    “I do not think Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, and South Africa should all be competing, rather we should come together as a bloc. We are also planning very early through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) for the distribution mechanism. And we are lucky in that aspect actually because we do have a fairly sophisticated distribution mechanism.

    “I’m very confident that in the current politicisation of access to vaccine, we will end up in a place where most of the world will come together, even if a few countries insist on doing it alone. If they do it alone, they will pay a price somehow or the other because we live in a global world.”

  • BREAKING: Nigeria to withhold passports of persons arriving from abroad as airports open

    BREAKING: Nigeria to withhold passports of persons arriving from abroad as airports open

    The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has issued a REVISED QUARANTINE PROTOCOL for persons arriving Nigeria from Abroad (including returnees/stranded Nigerians).

    The revised protocol contained in a circular to all diplomatic, consular and international organisations accredited to Nigeria on the COVID-19 protocols to be observed by passengers arriving Nigeria includes depositing their passports with the Nigeria Immigration Service for two weeks, pending the verification of their COVID-19 status.

    According to the revised quarantine protocol which comes into immediate effect, the arrivals are expected to self-isolate for 14 days and to remain in the city/state where the point of entry is located (i.e Lagos or Abuja), throughout the duration of self-quarantine.

    The protocol states further: “If not resident in Lagos, passengers shall make arrangements for accommodation at their own cost. Please note that the federal government will not be responsible for providing accommodation or transportation to the place of abode.

    “Passengers will be cleared through the Nigeria Immigration Service System’s Migrant Identification and Data Analysis System and their passports retained until after successful completion of 14 days self-quarantine, except diplomatic passport holders.”

    It said after all the COVID-19 protocols had been followed, instructions would be given to the NIS to release the passports to their owners.

    According to the protocol, alternative arrangements could be made to collect passports via special delivery.

    The protocol said persons who are unable to remain in Lagos or Abuja throughout the period of self-quarantine may return to their states of residence only after their samples had been collected and had tested negative for COVID-19, adding, “such persons must also make their full contact details available.”

    All persons, whether citizens or foreigners, are to comply with this protocol.

    Other features of the PTF’s revised protocol are: “Passengers arriving/returning to Nigeria must have tested negative for COVID-19 (pre-boarding PCR test in country of departure). PCR test must be within two weeks before departure and preferably not less than five days pre-boarding.

    “Tests done more than two weeks before departure are not valid and persons will not be allowed to board; but for the five days minimum, this advisory will not preclude boarding.

    “On board, passengers are required to fill in the health declaration/self-reporting form and the sample collection time allocation form.

    “Passengers should ensure that the information/contact details provided on the form are correct, verifiable and they can be reached on the phone number and address provided.

    “They will be given an appointment time and date to present themselves at the Sample Collection Centre located in Lagos or Abuja for a repeat COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours of arrival.

    “Passengers must provide their full and correct address and phone number before exiting the airport. They must comply with self-isolation/quarantine guidelines and ensure that they can be reached/can be located during the period.

  • Confusion as PTF says August 29 int’l flight resumption date not sacrosanct

    Confusion as PTF says August 29 int’l flight resumption date not sacrosanct

    The Coordinator of Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu, says the Aug. 29, resumption of international flights, as announced at the PTF COVID-19 briefing, is not sacrosanct.

    Aliyu, who made the clarification, at the PTF on COVID-19 briefing on Monday in Abuja, explained that the date would be for consideration of resumption of flights.

    According to him, Aug. 29 is not sacrosanct but if aviation authorities meet the criteria for resumption on the 29th, they will be given the green light to resume.

    The coordinator said: “We will spend a whole day to discuss international travel and how this will be done.

    “We are grateful to CACOVID and it’s partners for helping to support this process, because it would help us to expedite action of the airport.

    “And if I may clarify, we said from the 29th of August, we didn’t say on the 29th of August. So, very similar to what we did for the domestic flights.

    “Don’t come back and say that we promised we will open on the 29th, but that date is not sacrosanct; but we will work towards it.

    “We will seriously try and deliver it but from the 29th as far as the PTF is concerned, if aviation comes to us and say they are ready from the 29th, we will say please go ahead. If they come back on the 28th, it is too early.”

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika had earlier said that International flights, which were suspended by the nation’s Aviation authorities in the country as a result of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic globally, would resume Aug. 29, 2020.

    Sirika said the Nigeria’s international airports had reached advanced stages of preparedness for the resumption of international flight operations.

    The minister disclosed that like it was done during the resumption of domestic flights across the country, the international flights would commence with the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos.

    Emphasis, he said, would be placed on the observation of all the safety and technical guidelines as prescribed by global and health authorities, which would be communicated in due course.

  • PTF warns against mass gatherings, says airborne transmission of COVID-19 possible

    PTF warns against mass gatherings, says airborne transmission of COVID-19 possible

    The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Monday said a new evidence has showed that airborne transmission of COVID-19 is possible.

    It urged citizens to absolutely wear a face mask and adhere to other non-pharmaceutical protocols, such as avoiding mass gatherings, practising social distancing and maintaining hand hygiene by washing of hands.

    Speaking during the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing in Abuja, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, said: “Over the past few weeks, increasing evidence has emerged that in addition to droplet infection we cannot rule out that airborne transmission is also possible as a mode of COVID-19 spread.

    “The World Health Organisation (WHO) has updated its guidelines on this, saying exactly the same thing – that we cannot rule out airborne transmission. Therefore, we have to act in a precautionary way assuming that this is also possible given the new evidence that is emerging.

    “Understanding the mode of transmission of any new virus is very critical for defining response strategies. For COVID-19, from the very beginning, our understanding based on all the coronavirus that was spread, was primarily through droplets and excretions from the respiratory tract that can’t stay on in air, and they ultimately fall to the ground after a few minutes.

    “However, as we have studied transmissions and clusters of these infections, we saw increasing evidence from clusters of infections where droplet transmission did not seem to be enough to explain the clusters that we are seeing.

    “Diseases that are commonly understood to be spread by what we call airborne infection are things like measles, influenza, etc., that can be suspended in the air and transmitted over longer distances.

    “The new research does not change our guidelines, but only strengthens them as they stand.”

    Ihekweazu added, “This means that staying together in closed spaces and clusters such as in restaurants and in small rooms with very poor ventilation increases the risk of transmission. Indoor activities are riskier than outdoors activities, especially when there are many people in the room when we don’t adhere to distancing them and when we don’t wear masks.

    “This means that we have to, with a louder voice of the things that we have been saying already; that we have to even strengthen further the avoidance of mass gatherings or gatherings of any nature in small spaces.

    “Once you exceed the normal level of what is possible in a room, especially in a room with poor ventilation, then, there are already too many people in that room. So, we have to pay attention to ventilation, distancing, stay outside as preferred to inside, continue to wash our hands and absolutely wear a mask whenever we are outside our homes.”

    The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, added: “I emphasize again that conscientious wearing of masks is being confirmed in various studies, as the easiest, cheapest and most reliable way to check the rate of spread.

    “Some countries have made it mandatory by law and imposed a fine for non-compliance. Regular washing of hands, avoiding crowds, social distancing and use of minimum of 65 per cent alcohol based sanitizers remain as relevant as at the beginning.”

    The NCDC is set to begin the electronic transmission of COVID-19 results its director-general said at yesterday’s briefing.

    People will no longer have to wait for longer periods to receive their results as they can easily use a code to electronically check for it. This cuts the bureaucracy in results transmission – from Federal Government to laboratories, and then to States Government.

    The director-general said: “There is an online platform that is being set up at the moment to enable the electronic transmission of results come back to patients. We have been working very hard on that. This should be launched over the next few days and hopefully by the end of the weekend.

    “You can go in yourself and check your results once you have been tested and you have a code that is given to you. This way you don’t rely on several steps between Federal, laboratories and States government in order to share those results.

    “At the moment, if you need printed-out results, you can get it. Some people require printed-out results for different reasons and we will provide those results. We don’t do it at the moment and even in the future, it is unlikely that we will be sending out papers to people. But if you need it for whatever reason we will offer you a printout of your results.”

    The NCDC boss also complained of the agency’s call centre has been receiving a lot of hoax and unnecessary calls, which perpetually clogged the line and makes it difficult for individuals with genuine complaints to get through.

    “26 per cent of all our calls last week were hoax calls. One in four of all the calls coming to the NCDC connect centre were hoax calls; people were just calling for one reason or the other – to check whether you’re there, to challenge you, to ask you about Madagascar cure or something like that. These are the challenges that we have that clog the lines but we keep trying to manage that.

    “For most of the calls that come to us, our role is to do a risk assessment and then transfer the person to the state government that will ultimately collect his or her sample. The NCDC has never picked up patients; it has always been the responsibility of States government.”

  • We may order a fresh lockdown to curb spread of Coronavirus – FG

    We may order a fresh lockdown to curb spread of Coronavirus – FG

    Worried by the increasing spread of Covid-19, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Monday said it may order a fresh lockdown to curb the deadly virus.

    The PTF Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, who stated this at the task force press briefing in Abuja, also said the possibility of ordering a fresh total lockdown to curtail further spread of the virus could not be ruled out.

    The SGF, who advised prominent Nigerians to take COVID-19 protocols seriously, said the virus does not respect status.

    Mustapha’s warning came amid rising cases of COVID-19 among state governors and other prominent Nigerians. Recently state governors, including David Umahi of Ebonyi, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and their Ondo State counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu, contracted the virus.

    Warning people in authority, the SGF said, “Of recent, we have witnessed a high rate of positive cases especially among people in authority. This has a direct impact on governance and security of our nation. We urge that vigilance and care should be exhibited by all Nigerians, irrespective of status. This virus does not discriminate and the PTF shall keep sustaining its sensitisation messaging.”

    When asked if the task force would be considering a fresh lockdown in the face of what it observed as disregard for guidelines, Mustapha said events of coming weeks would determine the next line of action.

    READ ALSO: FG’s school reopening plan irrational, illogical

    He said, “We will not speculate on what will happen in future but we will protect the lives of Nigerians.

    “To achieve that, if it means to lock down again, we will not shy away from that responsibility. We will recommend to the President who will look at the report and take a decision on our recommendation. What happens in the next two three weeks will determine what we will do.”

    PTF

  • BREAKING: Buhari receives briefing from PTF on COVID-19

    BREAKING: Buhari receives briefing from PTF on COVID-19

    President Muhammadu Buhari has just been briefed in the State House, in Abuja, by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on the next line of actions in the national response against the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic.

    The PTF, lead by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the PTF, Mr Boss Mustapha, also updated the President on the level of compliance by Nigerians to the regulations and guidelines in the last four weeks since the second phase of the eased lockdown commenced.

    Mustapha was accompanied to the meeting with President Buhari by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; the National Coordinator of the PTF on COVID-19, Dr. Sani Aliyu; and the Director General of the National Center for Disrase Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu.

    President Buhari had on April 27 announced the gradual easing of a five-week lockdown in FCT, Lagos and Ogun state.

    The lockdown was eased to a nationwide night curfew (8 p.m. to 6 a.m.) from May 4 to May 17.
    The first phase of the lockdown was subsequently extended by two weeks elapsed midnight on June 1.

    The second phase which was implemented over four weeks spanning June 2nd – 29th, is still subject review.

    In the second phase, government had relaxed restrictions on banking operations and worship places.

    Federal government had retained nationwide curfew but the time was reduced from 10pm to 4am, to limit social interactions and, therefore, reduce the risk of the transmissions of the virus which is now on community transmission level.

    It had also removed restrictions on the movement of goods and services in the second phase.

  • COVID-19: PTF briefs Buhari today for next stage of national response

    COVID-19: PTF briefs Buhari today for next stage of national response

    The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on coronavirus pandemic is expected to present its updated report on the national response efforts to President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday morning.

    The task force is expected to present its assessment of the level of compliance by Nigerians to the regulations and guidelines as well as give him recommendations for the next stage of national response.

    Speaking during last Thursday’s press briefing, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, who is also the Chairman of the PTF, reminded the nation the second phase of the eased lockdown, which took off from June 1, would be ending at the weekend.

    He also said the PTF would be approaching President Muhammadu Buhari to submit its assessment of the success or otherwise of the national response efforts as well as giving him their recommendations.

    He urged Nigerians to await the next step in the fight against the virus.

    Nigerians had been clamouring for reopening of activities and total removal of restrictions and lockdowns, especially with respect to schools and interstate travel.

  • PTF condemns Naira Marley concert, says FCT will decide his fate

    PTF condemns Naira Marley concert, says FCT will decide his fate

    The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has expressed displeasure over the concert Naira Marley held on Saturday in Abuja, despite the ban on large gatherings amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

     

    TheNewsGuru recalls that Naira Marley held a concert at the Jabi Lake Mall on Saturday in contravention of the PTF directive geared towards decreasing the spread of the novel virus. The event had a lot of people in attendance and this led to an outrage.

     

    The National Coordinator of the PTF, Dr. Sani Aliyu, addressed the development on Monday during the daily COVID-19 briefing. Aliyu said Naira Marley’s fate, will be determined by the Federal Capital Territory Administration. He added that the PTF supports any sanction against the musician.

     

     

    He said: “With regards to the fate of Naira Marley, I believe the FCT authorities have already taken action with regards to the chief organizers.

     

    “But the decision on whether or not he will face penalties etc is actually a decision of the FCT authorities.

     

    “The PTF will always support any measure taken against people who continue to violate the guidelines we have put in place, particularly if they are putting public health at risk.”

     

    The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu, said there are no plans to trace those who attended the concert.

    Ihekweazu said: “On the plan whether we are going to track the people that came for the Naira Marley concert, no. We have a lot more important work to do than to do that, but if we have a positive from that community, we have a problem.

    “We do have a problem if we have someone that went to that gathering and turns positive. We hope that doesn’t happen.”

  • Nigeria yet to reach ‘peak’ of COVID-19 cases – PTF

    Nigeria yet to reach ‘peak’ of COVID-19 cases – PTF

    The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, says Nigeria is yet to reach the “peak” of COVID-19 infections.
    The chairmen of PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr Boss Mustapha , disclosed this at the COVID-19 daily news conference on Monday in Abuja.
    He said it was necessary to restate to the citizenry, that Nigeria had not reached the peak of confirmed cases, adding that the battle against COVID-19 was a long term battle.
    He urged Nigerian to pursue a strategy that would aid the sustainable control of the spread of the disease, stressing that risk communications and community engagement should remain top priority.
    He added that precision approached to containment and management should be adopted based on the overall assessment, including available data on the public health considerations and resultant economic impacts.
    According to him, the PTF is of the opinion that Nigeria is ready to allow science and data determine her cautious advancement into the second phase of the eased lockdown for a period of four weeks.
    “It is the consideration of the PTF that while Nigeria’s confirmed cases have increased in the period under review, the following factors should inspire confidence in the response
    “Majority of the confirmed cases are in a handful of local government areas in the country as 20 out of the 774 LGAs nationwide account for 60 per cent of the cases,” he said.
    He said there was an opportunity to concentrate efforts in the high-burden areas, adding that the federal agencies and state governments were working together on the promotion and utilisation of guidelines on case management.
    According to him, there is increased capacity to detect, test and trace those infected with the virus as 29 testing laboratories have been activated, with Bauchi being the latest addition.
    He added that the test count nationwide had exceeded 60,000, stating that a shift in focus to community engagement and enhanced risk communication was imperative.