The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has issued COVID-19 protection enforcement measures for the Christmas and New Year celebrations in the terriory.

The Secretary of FCTA Health and Human Services Secretariat, Abubakar Tafida, issued the measures in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

Mr Tafida said the current status of the COVID-19 in the FCT as of December 24 was worrisome, with “2,591, which is 1,028 per cent increase of the 252 cases confirmed in November 2021.”

The FCTA asked residents of the FCT to “practice the following measures as advised by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19.”

Some of the measures include: “Any gathering in excess of 50 people must be done in open spaces. Street parties are discouraged. All night clubs and related activities are banned during this period.

“Indoor religious congregation should be limited to 50 per cent capacity with full compliance to public health social measures such as physical distancing (two metres apart) and use of face masks.” 

The FCTA urged that the use of facemask and hand sanitiser for both the vaccinated and unvaccinated while in public should be strictly adhered to.

Mr Tafida said the administration had continued to put in place measures to control the increase in cases and prevent deaths, in conjunction with the Federal authorities and developmental partners.

He said that scientific data had shown that a very important tool to control the pandemic was herd immunity, which was only possible when at least 70 to 80 per cent of the FCT populace was fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

He urged residents to avoid crowded places, wear face mask, wash hands frequently, saying that the administration had put in place the machinery to enforce all non-pharmacological COVID-19 prevention measures.

(NAN)