Covid-19: FG Considers Travel Ban Over New Wave In UK

Covid-19: FG Considers Travel Ban Over New Wave In UK.

The Federal Government says it may impose a travel ban from some parts of the world, following the new wave of COVID-19 manifesting in the United Kingdom.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated this on Monday in Abuja at a Special Forum of the News Agency of Nigeria.

He noted that the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 would meet on Monday (today) over the new strain of COVID-19 in the UK.

 “We are more concerned about the new strain of COVID-19 which is manifesting itself in the UK; that is the mutated strain.

 “It is difficult to detect, it spreads faster and people have been known to die of it within a very short period of its detection.

 “This is a major concern to us as a country.

 “While I do not want to pre-empt the PTF because we are meeting this afternoon, it is going to be top on the agenda of our discussions.

 “I will not be surprised if that will be the recommendation of the committee which is meeting later today,’’ he said.

The minister added: “This season, many students are coming from the UK in particular, to come and join their families in Nigeria.

 “Besides, many of our people, because of the traditional link we have with the UK, may want to go there for business or family reunion.

 “It is a very testy time and it might be another dangerous period to transmit this new variant of COVID-19.”

The minister stated that many European countries had banned flights to and from the UK.

According to Mohammed, the Federal Government will not hesitate in giving the directive if it is the only way Nigerians can be protected from the agony of the new variant of COVID-19.

The minister also urged Nigerians to refrain from local or international travels except if absolutely necessary.