COVID-19: Our testing strategy yielding results – PTF

The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 said its testing strategy was yielding results as it could now give care to those that needed it.

Mr Boss Mustapha, the Chairman of PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), said this at the PTF on COVID-19 briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

Mustapha stated that as statistics on COVID 19 continued to come out daily, the indications showed that its testing strategy was yielding results because it could now give care to those that needed it.

“The PTF wishes to congratulate all our front line health workers that have collectively nursed back to health, a total of 1,071 Nigerians already discharged from the various isolation treatment centres.

“These health workers have put in all, even beyond the call of duty, to save lives and we also congratulate all those that have been discharged and urge them to come out and tell their stories,” he said.

He said there was need to tell Nigerians that COVID-19 was real, adding that it was deadly and prevention was better than cure.

Mustapha said there was no better convincing and compelling evidence of the reality of the dangers than the experiences of those discharged.

He said the PTF reported the progress made with the evacuation of some Nigerians from the Unite Arab Emirate, United Kingdom and USA and Nigerians were also informed about the mandatory quarantine protocol.

He said Nigerians had in recent days been served with different audio-visual clips by some of these returnees, adding that the PTF was saddened by the conduct of some of the returnees who fail to adhere to the conditions attached to their quarantine.

“I strongly urge them to obey the rules in the facilities and also urge their friends and relations to recognise the contagious nature of the disease by desisting from visiting them,” he said.

“The PTF welcomes the resolution of the Nigeria Governors Forum to take steps to ramp up testing and provide the prescribed minimum number of bed spaces in their isolation and treatment centres.

“We in turn assure the States that the NCDC will continue to provide technical support and standardisation guidelines,” he said.