COVID-19: Lagos govt. begins advocacy on face mask usage

The Lagos State Government, through its Ministry of Information, says it has embarked on advocacy to different locations across the metropolis to sensitise residents on the importance of face mask usage.

Mr Bode Lawal, Assistant Director, Ministry of Information, said in a statement that the exercise, tagged ”Mask-Up-Lagos”, was part of efforts to curb the community transmission of COVID-19 in the state.

Lawal said that the advocacy was geared toward encouraging all residents of the state on the need to support the efforts of the government to curb the spread of the global pandemic by using face masks.

He said that most Lagosians were still disobeying the directive of the Lagos State Government on the use of face mask, especially in public.

According to him, there is a need for all citizens to abide by the safety regulations issued by the state government and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

”The Governor Sanwo-Olu-led administration introduced the compulsory wearing of face masks in Lagos State in order to protect all residents from droplets and secretions from coughing and sneezing, due to the fact that not everyone that is infected will show symptoms of the disease.

”The regular use of face masks, especially in public, combined with frequent hand washing, social/physical distancing as well as embracing other personal hygiene safety tips are the most effective ways of containing the community spread of this ravaging pandemic,” he said.

Lawal said that the enlightenment campaign was carried out with the use of handbills, flyers and digital van display.

He said that the campaign was focused on ensuring that the general public was adequately sensitised on the importance of face mask and how it could prevent the spread of the dangerous disease within the state.

Lawal said that as part of the commitment to the ”Mask-Up-Lagos” initiative by the state government, it inaugurated the production of face masks made to specifications by guidelines released by the State Ministry of Health.

The assistant director said that the government also distributed more than a million face masks to residents across the state free of charge.

He called on Lagos residents to comply fully with the #MaskUp policy of the govetrnment for the safety of everyone.

Lawal said that the advocacy would be extended to every part of the state in order to achieve the desired result.