COVID-19: NCDC urges Nigerians to stay home; Churches on lockdown in Enugu, Ondo

Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has urged Nigerians to continue to comply with Federal Government directive by staying at home as they celebrate Easter.
Ihekweazu said that staying at home was necessary to contain Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the country, while giving an update on COVID-19, in Abuja on Sunday.
According to him, the pandemic is a global issue and not unique to Nigeria and many across the globe would have loved to celebrate Easter by visiting family and friends,.
”However, this year, it’s different for all of us.
“The health and safety of all Nigerians must be the first priority, especially right now.
”Christians should observe, the most holiest of days in the Christian calendar, the day Jesus Christ resurrected after his death by crucifixion, but, within the confines of their homes.
“Because the virus is spread mainly through respiratory droplets exchanged from person to person, keeping people away from one another and avoiding mass gatherings altogether, is one of the most fail-safe ways to help stop the spread.
”Holding services digitally and live streaming the Easter message through various platforms, is necessary to reinforce the message of love and sacrifice which is what Easter is about.,” he said.
Ihekweazu commended Church leaders nationwide for taking responsibility in the effort to curb COVID-19 spread and leveraging on technology to reach and continue to encourage their congregation in the difficult times.
“Our short term sacrifice is for the long term gain,” he said.
The DG said that the virus spread rapidly through sustained close contact with an infected person.
He said that the mode of spread of the virus was the reason the federal government asked people to stay at home and observe physical distancing of at least two metres from other individuals.
Ihekweazu said this was important as some individuals would not show symptoms while some might show symptoms later.
On people living in same household, he said they could still share space provided they were daily washing hands and disinfecting used surfaces frequently and staying away from others when ill.
”We are asking people to stay home, to significantly reduce the likelihood of getting infected by others.
”While masks may be useful, they must be incorporated with other preventive measures such as hand washing and physical distancing,” he said.
Ihekweazu said that Nigerians should not stigmatise or discriminate against anyone with respiratory illness or a confirmed case of COVID-19, adding that it was not a death sentence.
”This is the time we need each other the most and we must #TakeResponsibility not only against the disease but against stigma in the society, ” he said.
Meanwhile, many Christian families in Enugu State capital worshipped online to mark the 2020 Easter celebration in compliance with the lockdown directives by the state and federal governments over the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).
A visit to most of the churches showed them under lock and key.
The churches visited include St Paul’s Catholic Church Awkunanaw, Emmanuel Anglican Church, Achara Layout, some Pentecostal churches on Agbani Rd.
Others are the Cathedral Church of Good Shepherd, Independence Layout, Wesley Cathedral, Uwani, Holy Ghost Cathedral, the Living Faith Church, Presidential Rd and the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Abakaliki Rd.
A resident, Mr Ikem Odenigbo, said that he joined the church service conducted by Pope Francis in the morning on the television.
Odenigbo said he was satisfied with the service as he received the spiritual sacrament he craved for.
According to him, it is not about being inside the church but being close to God. “The people are the church and not the building”.
Odenigbo urged the people to stay at home and comply with other hygiene protocols directed by governments and other agencies.
Some security agencies, especially the Police, were seen patrolling major streets to ensure compliance of churches on the stay at home directive.
Meanwhile, some markets in parts of the coal city were open for business as people were still busy shopping for Easter at the Artisan Market on Ogui Rd, Kenyatta Market, Uwani and the Ochanja Market at Abakpa Nike, Enugu.
Some commercial buses and tricycles are also plying on major roads and doing their normal businesses.
The state had so far recorded two cases of COVID-19 in the past three weeks.
In Ondo State, churches in Okitipupa Local Government area were under lock and key, in compliance with state government’s lockdown order, occasioned by the Coronavirus pandemic.
No Easter service was held in any of the churches in the council area.
Christ Apostolic Church, Foursquare Gospel Church, Anglican Church, Mountain of Fire Ministries, Methodist Church, Stella Maris Catholic Church, Winners Chapel and the Redeemed Christian Church of God did not open.
Christians in the council area observed the Easter celebrations, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, in their various houses, in compliance with the stay-at-home order of the government.
Pastor Mathew OgoOluwa, the Chairman, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Okitipupa chapter, said on the telephone that Christians had been implored to ensure total compliance with government’s order in their own interest.
“We have earlier been instructed to open churches today for the Easter celebration after deliberations between Christian bodies and the government. But we were later instructed not to open our worship centres again because of the latest development on COVID-19. So we have no choice than to comply.
“Since it is all for our wellbeing, I urge all Christians to comply with all the precautionary measures prescribed by government and health professionals in order to contain the pandemic,” he said.