Officials of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), on Monday deployed field staff of the agency with test kits to carry out daily scan of staff of Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The NCDC staff were seen at the presidential Villa on Monday leaving the Villa after receiving briefings on how to carry out their daily operations which is expected to take from Tuesday, March 3rd.
They were seen carrying test kits which will be used to scan staff and visitors into the Presidential Villa.
BusinessDay interaction with one of the field workers revealed that the moves is to ensure that no one is able transmit the Coronavirus to others and ensure that carriers of the virus are detected before they enter the Villa
“ We are starting tomorrow to scan everyone entering the Presidential Villa because he seat of power is very important to us”
When pressed further, the field worker told BusinessDay that other measures which he did not expatiate on have been deployed to protect citizens across the country.
“Do not be surprised to see , as you go around, the different measures established to test, discover and reveal anyone carrying the virus , as part of measures to ensure that it is not allowed to spread across the country
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had on Sunday urged Nigerians to avoid panic measures following the detection of the virus on 44 years old Italian businessman who arrived Nigeria on the 25th of February.
The index case led to the quarantining of several persons suspected to have had contacts with the Italian while governments combing for more persons who may have come in contact with him.
Buhari had expressed sadness with the confirmation of the case of Covid-19 infection in Lagos, Nigeria, but admonished Nigerians against panicking over the issue.
Since the detection, BusinessDay checks revealed that hand sanitizers have become an essential commodity, even as many are have resorted to applying local alternatives to sanitize themselves.
The NCDC staff did not say how long they will carry out their assignments at the Villa, but said the exercise will continue until whenever they are asked to stop.
“ For now, we will only be taking your temperature from a distance and once the machines gets in contact with any person, it will reveal whether the person is carrying the virus or not”
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
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