Second Wave: Bayelsa Directs Political Appointees to Confirm COVID-19 Status

The Bayelsa State Government has directed all political appointees and other government functionaries as well as civil servants to confirm their COVID-19 status by going for testing.

The state government said the testing had become imperative following the second wave of COVID-19 in Nigeria.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Pabara Igwele, told journalists that the directive was issued during the State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Yenagoa.

He said the council further directed the immediate commencement of active case search across the state, especially in Yenagoa, the state capital.

As of Friday, December 25, Bayelsa had recorded 519 confirmed cases of coronavirus with 77 patients on admission, 421 discharged while the number of deaths was 21, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

Igwele said the council also reiterated the approved COVID-19 guidelines to safeguard the people during the Yuletide celebrations.

According to him, all informal and formal events, including weddings, conferences, congresses, office parties, concerts, seminars and all end of year events had been restricted to not more than 50 persons in attendance.

He said, “All bars, night clubs, event and recreational centres, restaurants and hotels are to ensure compliance with the COVID-19 protocols by the compulsory wearing of face mask, hand washing and physical distancing.

“All religious gatherings should not be more than 50 per cent capacity of the facility of use, in which physical distancing, mandatory use of the face mask should be strictly enforced.”