COVID-19: Taraba governor orders closure of schools, bans public gatherings in state

Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo

Following the global spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Taraba State governor Darius Ishaku has ordered immediate closure of both public and private schools in the state and banned public gatherings of groups of more than twenty persons.

The governor said in a state broadcast that all social and recreational centres must also close not later than 7:00 pm.

He advised the people to maintain social distance and intimate social etiquettes such as handshake, hugging and kissing.

“All public and private primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the state are hereby directed to close on or before 24th March, 2020. Henceforth, Tarabans are encouraged to maintain social distances by avoiding intimate etiquette by avoiding handshakes, hugging and even kissing which medically has been proven to be some of the ways the virus can be transmitted.

“There should no longer be any assembly, congregation or meeting of up to twenty persons at any given time effective from today, 21st March, 2020, until a time that the situation abates. You must exercise caution while interacting in market places to buy essential goods and services. I hereby also direct that social and recreational centres such as bars, restaurants, viewing centres and related venues must close before 7 O’clock in the evening commencing from today,” the governor said.