health

COVID-19 Protocols: Lagos commences prosecution of defaulters

Published

5 years ago

December 15, 2021

Royal Uche

Concerned with the dramatic rise in COVID-19 positive cases seen in the evolving fourth wave, the Lagos State Government has commenced prosecution of inbound international passengers who fail to submit themselves for day two and day seven PCR tests as mandated by the federal COVID-19 protocols and guidelines.

Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi who made this known during a press briefing on Tuesday in Lagos, said noted that the prosecution of defaulting inbound passengers has become necessary in order to mitigate the evolving fourth wave of COVID-19 infection in the State.

Abayomi said, “From our data analysis, we discovered that only about 20 percent of inbound passengers who pay for the COVID-19 PCR tests prior to their arrival in Lagos actually submit themselves for the tests on the required day at our designated laboratories. Our data also shows that a significant number of inbound passengers who actually do the tests on the designated days are testing positive and if they don’t self-isolate they pose a serious threat to the States ability to manage the fourth wave.”

Lagos state government is concerned with the dramatic rise in cases seen in the evolving fourth wave, the commissioner said, adding that, “Identifying that our previous waves are associated with non-compliance of inbound passengers with the testing guidelines, we have commenced prosecution of inbound international passengers who fail to submit themselves for day two and day seven PCR tests as mandated by the federal COVID-19 protocols and guidelines.

“In addition, unvaccinated inbound passengers and anyone testing positive for COVID-19 are mandated to self-isolate at home for seven days. We will be sanctioning anyone found to be disregarding these guidelines, which are designed to minimize the community transmission of COVID and its variants.”

The Commissioner further disclosed that the state government has started contacting the defaulting passengers and patients for arraignment before a mobile court for special offenses. “If we cannot reach you or you fail to present to a mobile court, your passport details will be forwarded to the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 and the Immigration Department who will in turn deactivate the passport of such persons for a year. And this basically means that they will not be able to travel out of the country for a period of one year,” he added.

Abayomi noted that any citizen with symptoms of COVID or who test positive for the virus and refuse to isolate, is inadvertently placing other innocent citizens at risk stressing that this can result in severe sickness and death particularly in vulnerable persons. He added that this also places undue burden on state health resources.

Abayomi advised passengers coming into Lagos to obey and abide by the laid down protocols, noting that ignorance of the law will not be an acceptable excuse.

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