Third Wave: FG Speaks On Imposing Fresh COVID-19 Lockdown Nationwide

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo-led National Economic Council (NEC) has stated that there is no indication of an imminent lockdown as the nation battles COVID-19’s third wave.

Naija News reports that this was made known to State House correspondents on Thursday by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State after the virtual NEC meeting.

Recall that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had warned of the spread of COVID-19’s Delta variant.

Sanwo-Olu said Osinbajo told the NEC that an emergency meeting on the COVID-19 third wave would be convened whenever the need arose.

“We will be reviewing on a weekly basis, like every two to three days, what the trends are; the chairman of the council has also mentioned to us that if there is a need for an emergency meeting, he will call one,” he said.

“But, assurances were given by the NCDC and the Presidential Task Force, working with relevant states like Lagos, to be tracking and monitoring what is happening almost on daily basis.

“So, we do not think that we are there; we do not have any indication that we will get there; so we are preparing ourselves to ensure that as much as possible, we can very quickly flatten the curve.”

Speaking further, the Lagos State governor said the DG OF NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu had provided a global insight, stating that Nigeria have recorded 168, 552 cases as at July 15, and 1,993 active cases.

He said states had discharged over 140, 000 people, while only 2,124 deaths were recorded so far.

Sanwo-Olu quoted the NCDC as saying, in addition to the fact that the positivity rates had gone up, in spite of the low number of cases in the country.

“It is important for us to know that the Delta variant, which is the new variant, is also in our country and has also been identified in a total of 103 countries globally.

“The Delta variant is 60 per cent more transmissible than the Alfa variant; so, we are watching all the trends and the NCDC and Lagos will be working collaboratively,’’ Sanwo-Olu said.