THE Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has insisted that state governments must conduct risk assessment of schools before reopening them.
The PTF also stated that safety measures must be put in place before students were asked to return to educational facilities.
The National Coordinator of PTF, Dr Sani Aliyu, while speaking at the national briefing by the task force on Thursday, warned that younger persons were more likely to spread the virus, and posed a higher risk to their aged parents and teachers.
Aliyu said, “We know that state authorities are in the process of planning to reopen schools. The PTF is appealing to state governments to ensure that two things happen; one, a risk assessment should be done for all schools that are reopening and two, that measures are put in place for schools to reopen safely in strict compliance with national and state guidelines.”
The PTF coordinator noted that the younger ones had peers and schoolmates they had not seen for a long time, urging them to socialise with great care.
“We are also asking parents to please explain the lifesaving guidelines to their children. Ensure that your children have masks, ensure that they have access to hand sanitisers, ensure that they maintain physical distancing and they understand the importance of these measures,” he added.
Aliyu also thanked the Independent National Electoral Commission, whose Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, was at the briefing, for collaborating with the PTF in the fight against the pandemic.
The PTF coordinator also disclosed that the task force met with traditional leaders in the northern part of the country on Thursday on how to assist in the sensitisation of the people in the region against COVID-19.
He also confirmed that some travellers were presenting fake reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction COVID-19 tests at the point of entry.
He said, “We are aware of instances where COVID-19 PCR test results are being presented that are fake. We are working with the authorities to deal with this as it arises.”
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, said this at the briefing.
He also noted that as part of the efforts to restart the economy, Nigeria reopened the international airspace on 5th September, with flights allowed into Lagos and Abuja for now, while other international airports would follow in due course.
The SGF added that the PTF also released the guidelines and protocols regarding international flights, the obligations of airlines, the pre-boarding conditions and post-boarding choices available to passengers regarding arrangements and facilities for testing.
