Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said the government may be constrained to re-impose lockdown if residents fail to adhere to the existing COVID-19 protocols.
The governor, in a broadcast on Monday, said daily figures released from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) show that both the transmission and death rates in the last two weeks have consistently been on the rise.
He said this because residents and visitors have failed to comply with the existing COVID-19 Protocols.
He stated that although it remains the desire of the government to keep the state open and allow citizens to go about their social, religious and economic activities unimpeded, the government might be compelled to take drastic measures.
“We may be constrained to re-impose the suspended COVID-19 lockdown measures across the State if the transmission of the disease continues to increase beyond tolerable limits,” he said.
He said the state might face a serious health disaster of profound consequences if residents and visitors continue to behave as if the pandemic no longer exists or is impotent in Rivers.
“This is a big lie and we cannot afford to continue to close our eyes to the dangers such irresponsible behaviour poses to the health, lives and livelihood of everyone.”
“Accordingly, I wish to remind residents of the subsisting protocols on regular washing of hands and use of alcohol-based sanitiser; maintaining social distancing; wearing of face masks at all public places, including transport vehicles and going for immediate testing and treatment whenever you notice any of the symptoms.”
He appealed to all residents to protect themselves and their loved ones by taking the vaccine at the designated health centres in the 23 Local Government Areas of the state as soon as they become available.
