By Muhammed Gambo
The State COVID-19 Prevention and Control Committee under the leadership of the Deputy Governor, Hon. Idi-Barde Gubana met on Tuesday to review the prevention and preparedness measures that have been put in place to prevent an outbreak of the coronavirus disease in the state.
A statement by Abdullahi Bego, the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture for and on behalf of the COVID-19 Prevention and Control
Committee, said the measures cut across sectors and domains and are designed to ensure a holistic and comprehensive approach to protecting the people and maintaining the zero-case status of the state.
He said the Yobe State Government, through the COVID-19 Committee, remains profoundly grateful to the people of the state for their cooperation and adherence to the guidelines on social distancing, regular hand washing, stay-at-home, good respiratory etiquette, and other measures that have been recommended as effective in preventing a COVID-19 infection.
He said the Committee also resolves as follows: “That in view of the ongoing prevalence of COVID-19 in certain parts of the country, movement into and out of the state, especially across our borders with Bauchi and Jigawa States, will remain restricted. The security agencies, especially the police, civil defence and vigilantes, will continue to enforce the restriction.
“The stay-at-home and work-from-home directive for civil servants from Grade Level 12 and below has been extended until April 30th.
“People across the state should continue to observe and implement all measures against COVID-19, including social distancing, regular hand washing, and excellent respiratory etiquette.
“People should also continue to pray to Almighty Allah (SWT) for protection from the disease, from other health and security challenges, and provide economic prosperity to our state and the nation in general.”
Bego said: “The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State Chapter of the National Civil Service Union for pledging 10 percent of their union check-up dues for the month of April 2020.
“The Committee also expresses its gratitude to all the corporate organisations and individuals who have made contributions to the State COVID-19 Support account.”
He promises that: “The Committee will issue a statement, going forward, on the organisations and individuals that have contributed to the account to especially thank them again,” and “the Committee calls on people across the state, once again, to remember that COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease that spreads quickly from an infected person to others. The best and universally accepted measures to stop its spread are the same measures that this Committee has been recommending from the beginning: Social distancing, regular hand washing, staying at home most of the time, good respiratory habits, early presentation to a healthcare facility when a person has symptoms of the disease, and self-isolation for at least two weeks for people who return to the state from parts of the country or parts of the world with confirmed cases of COVID-19.”
