Plateau lost five prominent citizens to COVID-19 – Lalong

The Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, said on Thursday the state lost five prominent people to the COVID-19 pandemic in two weeks.

The governor, who disclosed this in a chat with State House correspondents after a private meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic was more dangerous than the initial phase of the virus recorded early last year.

He added that it was difficult to talk about another lockdown as states strive to contain the pandemic.

Lalong, who contracted the COVID-19 late last year, revealed that he went through a tough period during his treatment for the virus.

He said: “I just recovered from COVID-19; for those who say that it does not exist, I don’t wish my enemies to go throw what I went through for 10 days.

“All the symptoms were there; everything that I went through; I thank God that I was able to come out of it and I am now very healthy.

“Also, as a member of the PTF representing the governors; we have drummed it that this second wave of COVID-19 is more dangerous than what we saw before.

“In my state, we lost almost five people; they are Very Important Personalities (VIPs); they are VIPs; so, in terms of approach, we need to be very vigilant; we have said it several times.

“Although, it is difficult to talk about locking down states now; but the way people are going; when you start talking about losing five people within two weeks.

READ ALSO: Gov Lalong tests negative for COVID-19, says virus not a death sentence

“Yesterday, I saw it; my state recorded 160 cases, definitely, there must be an approach towards enforcement; so this is what we are doing as governors and we are taking it seriously.’’

The governor said he would convene a stakeholders’ meeting on enforcement of the protocols in the coming week.

He warned religious leaders and others to observe the protocols or face another lockdown.

Lalong added: “Every church I go to now; everywhere I go, I tell them; if you don’t follow enforcement, then you may go back to the last option of general lockdown. But let us approach it because it is really very deadly now.

“Somebody gets it; one, two, three days, he is gone. But before if somebody gets it, you rush him to the centre; he goes through the processes and comes out of it.

“But how many people will come out; how many people are privileged to even come out it like we do and that is the concern we have.

“The Federal Government is doing a lot honestly through the committee headed by the vice president but it is just that people don’t want to follow the protocol.

“Just observe the normal non-pharmaceutical protocol and definitely, we will get over it.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now