By Monsuru Olowoopejo
Following an increase in coronavirus cases Lagos, the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has ordered civil servants between grade level 1 and 12 to remain at home for the next 14 days.
The announcement came hours after three cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the state, increasing the number of patients under quarantine to 19.
Sanwo-Olu issued the directives on Sunday while giving an update of achievements recorded in the containment of coronavirus in the state.
He urged private companies to emulate the state government and ask their staff, who were not performing essential services to stay at home pending when the state is out of the pandemic, saying, this will reduce cases of public gathering and contacts in the state.
The governor said: ” I am directing that all public officers in the entire unified public civil service from grade level 1 to 12 which consist of about 70 percent of the entire public workforce should stay at home for 14days, beginning from Monday, 23rd of March, 2020 at the first instance. This will be reviewed as time goes.
“Members of the public should refrain from visiting any of our offices. And if the issue is very important, they should transact such business via their phone or online channels. This stay at home does not affect all of our first responders meaning the medical personnel, fire service officials, LAWMA, LASEMA and other essential service providers are not included in these directives.
“We are working on our capacity to work on new cases and other health facilities will be deployed to the Mainland Infection Disease hospital, Yaba. to ensure this, we have evacuated other patients out of that hospital and so the hospital will be used solely for coronavirus cases. We are working on the facilities in the hospital to be able to take more cases. We are re also going to set up an additional facility at the Gbegada General hospital.
“We have also identified locations in the five divisions of the state to assist in addressing the cases if there were cases within that division that must be cared for immediately.
“More health workers are currently been trained to be able to address the issue and some retirees who have the required expertise were also considered for recall to support the health officials in the state,” the governor added.
