Lagos asks 70% of civil servants to stay at home over coronavirus

The Lagos state government has directed civil servants from grade level one to 12 to stay at home for the next fourteen days.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the state governor, announced this in a public address on Sunday.

He said the stay-at-home order would last for an initial period of 14 days.

“In addition to previous measures, I hereby direct that all public officers in the entire unified public service from grade level one to 12 which constitutes about 70% of our entire workforce should stay at home from Monday, March 23, 2020, for fourteen days at the first instance,” he told the press on Sunday.

“We’ll review this as time goes on. Members of the public are advised to refrain from visiting any of our physical offices and to transact such businesses as is possible on the phone or online channels.”

According to the governor, the stay-at-home order does not affect first responders whom he listed to include medical personnel, fire service officers, personnel of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and Lagos Waste Management Authority.

Sanwo-Olu said other patients have been evacuated from the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba.

He also said facilities are also being set up at the Gbagada General Hospital and five other locations around the state where confirmed cases can be treated.

The state has confirmed 19 cases of the coronavirus.

In total, 27 cases have been confirmed across the country.