The Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved the sum of N200m to support the ongoing COVID-19 patient management and treatment efforts of the two Federal Treatment Centres in the state.

This, though, did not come without a caveat as the state government has made mandatory the use of face mask in the state, a breach of which attracts six months jail term.

While addressing State House correspondents penultimate weekend in this regard, the governor equally noted the importance of non-pharmaceutical interventions, urging all residents to continue to abide by public health and safety regulations that have been issued by health authorities.

These regulations include wearing of face mask always, washing the reusable face mask regularly, and ensuring that clients at business places wear face masks before they are attended to. The governor, who also noted that testing for symptomatic patients in the state is free, urged them to self-isolate if they turn out positive, or report to isolation centres and follow-up clinics. The need for physical distancing was also emphasised, just like regular hand washing and respiratory health.

The governor warned of dire penalties for event centres that continue to operate outside the existing regulations and guidelines. For this, he reiterated that there should not be a meeting of more than 50 persons in an enclosed space except for religious purposes, which of course should not exceed 50 percent of the space capacity.

A fine or six months imprisonment, or both await[s] any breach of the provisions of the Presidential Regulations, even as enforcement agencies have been appropriately tasked to ensure maximum compliance.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, however, noted with dismay that the state continues to be the epicentre of the pandemic in Nigeria. As of January 29, 2021, he added, the state had reached a total of 47,871 confirmed cases, 34,094 recoveries, with 9,856 still active.

The rise in number of cases has undoubtedly spiked the oxygen demand in the centres  to between 300 and 400 cylinders a day. But the governor said that the State Government is working hard to ensure the availability and supply to meet and even surpass this demand.