Coronavirus: 7 presidency decisions on disease you should know about

On Tuesday, March 17, 2020, Nigeria’s Presidential Task Force for the control of coronavirus (PTF-COVID19) held its inaugural meeting and announced the following decisions:

1..The general public has been strongly advised to cancel or postpone all non-essential travel - whether for business or pleasure - abroad, especially to “high-risk countries.”

2..These high risk countries include the following:

China

Iran

South Korea

Germany

Italy

USA

Switzerland

Norway

Netherlands

Spain

France

Japan

3..All official travel by public officials and civil servants has been banned “until further notice.” Approvals previously granted for such travel are accordingly rescinded or cancelled.

Presidential task force on coronavirus during its inaugural meeting of Tuesday, March 17, 2020 (Nigeria Center for Disease Control) Presidential task force on coronavirus during its inaugural meeting of Tuesday, March 17, 2020 (Nigeria Center for Disease Control) Pulse Nigeria

4..The federal government has urged everyone traveling to Nigeria or returning to Nigeria from abroad to strictly self-isolate for 14 days in their homes.

5..Everyone traveling or returning to Nigeria from countries with high Community Transmission Rates (esp countries with 1,000 cumulative cases and above) will be actively followed up for 14 days by the Health Authorities (Health authorities here refer to the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Center for Disease Control--NCDC).

6..The federal government has also urged the general public to maintain social distancing and avoid crowded places.

7..Everyone is expected to adhere to strict personal and respiratory hygiene practices like washing of hands regularly with soap and running water and using alcohol based hand sanitizers where water is not readily available.