The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, on Thursday, August 20th, 2020, said the poor attitude of Nigerians towards COVID-19 testing and safety protocols is responsible for the recent surge in cases in the country.

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force, Boss Mustapha, at the daily COVID-19 briefing in Abuja, on Thursday, lamented and expressed his displeasure over the recent development.

“Nigerians' attitude is our biggest challenge in the fight against COVID-19 because we have done everything possible as a responsible government with support from international communities and a local partner so we are not in short of any resources; our major challenge is Nigeria’s attitude. The country would have flattened the curve if we comply with the non-pharmaceutical protocol,” Mustapha said.

Regretting that Nigeria has exceeded 50,000 marks, the PTF Chairman revealed that the country was close to hitting the unenviable record of 1,000 deaths. 

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He disclosed that 14 medical doctors have paid the supreme price while they toiled daily to save lives.

Reacting to the protest by the Nigerian students recently, Mustapha lamented that it would be extremely selfish for Nigerian youths to continue to flout the safety protocols and carry on without a thought for their safety and those of the vulnerable.

He said such behaviour has been amplified in the surge in some states of the United States of America.

“This unpredictability is reflected in the last twenty-four hours when Plateau State witnessed the highest daily number of confirmed cases.

“In the last two days, the World Health Organisation, WHO, had issued warnings on Vaccine Nationalism and that young people are aiding the spread of the virus. The latter is more germane for us as Nigerians with our over 80% youthful population and should give us more cause to be on our guard. It would border on extreme selfishness for our youths to believe that since they are asymptomatic carriers they can carry on with life as they please.

“We are encouraged by the fact that the majority of our youths are in the vanguard of this fight and still call on the few non-conforming ones to join,” he said.

He warned the youth that being asymptomatic does not guarantee immunity forever.

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According to the NCDC, as of August 21st, 2020, Nigeria has recorded 50,964 cases of COVID-19.

Of the 50,964 cases, 12,403 are active and are on admission in our isolation centres, 37,569 discharges have been made, and 992 deaths have been recorded.