By Haruna Gimba
The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 (PTF) has urged the 36 state governors to reopen all laboratories and ensure that testing is expanded due to the second wave of the Coronavirus.
Chairman of the PTF and Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, made the call on Tuesday during an emergency national briefing of the PTF in Abuja.
He said they have received reports that that laboratories recently established in the states are not working optimally.
“You will recall that we moved from two laboratories to about 90 (Public and Private) located in all states of the federation. Their inability to function optimally has resulted in unacceptable levels of delay in receiving results and pressure on the National Reference Labs.
“We wish to urge all states to reopen all laboratories and ensure that testing is expanded and turnaround time for results is substantially reduced. In the same vein, states should please keep their Isolation/Treatment centres open because of the rising cases of infection nationwide,” he said.
Meanwhile, Boss Mustapha added that the PTF has worked out additional quarantine protocols to be observed by travelers arriving from the United Kingdom and South Africa.
According to him, the new protocols are in keeping with the determination to minimize any possibility of importation of the virus.
He said: “The new policy started from 28th December 28, 2020 and key changes include; requirement for passengers for two additional documents, permit to travel/QR code obtained from the travel portal after payment for the day seven post-arrival test; and COVID 19 PCR negative test with a validity now shortened to 96 hours or 4 days.”
The PTF chairman assured that the PTF shall remain vigilant on the matter and relevant government agencies are also working on the sequencing to determine the strain found.
“With effect from January 1st, 2021 the passports of the first 100 passengers that failed to take their day seven post-arrival PCR test will be published in the national dailies. The passports, as deterrence, will also be suspended till June 2021,” he added.
