The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said the state may make the use of face mask mandatory from next week.
Sanwo-Olu, at a briefing on Monday, said the state had already embarked on local production of face masks in large quantities.
The governor said the rise in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state indicated a slow spread of community transmission, noting that there was the need to strengthen and ramp up the government’s response to contain the infectious disease.
Sanwo-Olu, however, said there was no need to panic in spite of the rising cases, adding that the state had localised testing by opening sample collection centres across the 20 Local Government Areas in the state.
“The increase in numbers we are seeing is evidence of the success of our evolving strategy of ramping up testing by going into local communities to search for cases.
“Also, there have been questions about whether the state government is planning to introduce a face mask-wearing policy. Our simple answer is that it may be compulsory to wear one in public places from next week,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Sanwo-Olu appealed to Muslim faithful to obey the government’s guidelines on public gathering and social distancing.
He said, “As we prepare to observe the Ramadan fast, we have a responsibility to continue to maintain appropriate levels of respiratory hygiene and physical distancing.”