Governor Ikpeazu relaxes lock down in Abia State

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The Governor made it public while addressing the Press after a meeting he held with Church Leaders, Market Leaders, Transport Union Executive and other Stakeholders in Government House Umuahia.

He stipulated that a 17 man Committee would be set up in each market of the State before the relaxation of markets begin in earnest while churches would be free to conduct many streams of services which would not last more than one hour with members adhering strictly to the preventive measures of Covid 19 guidelines.

He equally allowed people to bury their dead but with observation of social distancing where sympathizers would not be more than 30 for those conducting in football fields and 10 for family compounds, stressing that those to bury their dead must obtain authority from the SSG or Traditional Rulers while the LG authorities would supervise it.

Governor Ikpeazu also said that Keke would carry two passengers, and buses would not carry more than two passengers in a roll.

Governor Ikpeazu informed that schools should remain closed while the ongoing radio/TV class continues and would involve more stations.

For Civil Servants, the Governor stated that Ministries would start work with not more than 20 staff in operation adding that all categories of people must wear face masks and maintain social distancing.

He disclosed that the State is about discharging its first successful COVID 19-managed case from the FMC Medical Isolation Centre, Umuahia and expressed joy that the Patient who has been nursed back to life is the oldest in the whole South East to survive from the virus.

He noted that the Patient has so far certified NCDC COVID 19 condition for discharge as he has been confirmed negative for two consecutive times.

The Governor assured that while government continues in the effort of tracing contacts, the focus is to ensure that testing of all high risk contacts of both index cases is carried out and expressed hope that they would all return negative.

The Governor said that the pandemic is a clarion call for Leaders at all levels to think outside the box and leverage on opportunities brought by the pandemic for alternative means of survival.

He announced the introduction of Abia Tele-health Mobile App to all Abia people, explaining that it is a remote clinical platform for healthcare service delivery, where healthcare consumers can access from their phones. He added that the app is downloadable on www.abiatelehealth.com and urged all to leverage on it.

Governor Ikpeazu enjoined Abia people and residents to keep observing all precautionary measures outlined by the NCDC including hand-washing, use of sanitizer and application of social distancing among others. He stated that palliatives have been distributed across the seventeen LGAS of the State while same gesture has also been extended to indigenes of Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi and Akwa States resident in the State.