FG says lockdown ‘not on the table’ despite surge in COVID infections

The federal government says it is not considering another lockdown as the country records a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, made this known on Thursday during the weekly state house press briefing.

Nigeria is currently battling the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic following the emergence of the Delta variant.

On Wednesday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed 790 COVID-19 cases across 12 states and the federal capital territory (FCT) – the highest single-day count in over six months.

Due to the surge in the number of infections, many Nigerians are worried that a lockdown may be imminent.

Speaking on the development, Ehanire said Nigeria has not reached a threat level that will warrant imposing a lockdown, adding that lockdown poses a great threat to business activities.

The minister said most countries that are threatened by COVID-19 infections no longer impose general lockdown but a precision lockdown, where certain areas are shut down.

“We are not at a level yet where we are feeling that threat to do any lockdown but I tell you many countries are not doing generalised lockdown but precision lockdown,” he said.

“As I speak to you now, there are several countries who are on one kind of lockdown or the other, at least if my recollection is correct, six or seven countries are on one form of lockdown or the other. We do not have that on the table right now.”