The Head of the Technical Secretariat, who also doubles as the Secretary of the PSC on COVID-19, Dr Muktar Muhammed, has disclosed that the use of face masks in public places is now optional, while the decision on the final relaxation of measures will be taken after Easter.
He disclosed this in an interview with The PUNCH in Abuja.
Countries across the world have started relaxing COVID-19 measures.
Recently, Ghana, a West African country, announced that the use of face masks was no longer mandatory.
Nigeria has continued to witness a drop in the number of daily COVID-19 cases.
The PSC also announced that it would stop demanding proof of PCR tests from fully vaccinated travellers.
Muhammed stated, “We are easing up restrictions, but it’s important we do so responsibly.
“We shall not hesitate to remove all mandates once the disease is no longer of public health consequence. We are aware that cases are rising in the Western Pacific and Eastern Europe. The US just mandated a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine for adults older than 50. We fear a reversal of the pandemic situation, where largely unvaccinated poor countries will be made to bear the burden, because the West has developed very high immunity through large scale vaccination.
“Our biggest fear now is the upcoming Easter holidays. If we are able to cross and the cases continue to go down with no significant increase in hospitalisation and death, then certainly, we will lower down our level of alertness and relax most of the measures.
Meanwhile, data from the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency has revealed that a total of 12,139,797 persons have been fully vaccinated in Nigeria, while 18,942,020 persons have been partially vaccinated.
source: The Punch
