COVID-19: We lost 5 VIPs in two weeks – Gov Lalong speaks on possibility of ‘another lockdown’

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has said that it is difficult to talk about another lockdown as states strive to contain the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, but that there is the need to take the pandemic more serious he said that his state had lost Very Important Personalities (VIPs) to Coronavirus of recent.

Lalong said this on Thursday while speaking with State House correspondents after a private meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He explained that he contracted and survived COVID-19, adding that he went through a trying period during the treatment and recovery.

“I just recovered from COVID-19; for those who say that it doesn’t exist, I do not wish my enemies to go through what I went through for ten days,” Lalong said.

“All the symptoms were there; everything that I went through; I thank God that I was able to come out of it, and I’m now very healthy.

“Also, as a member of the PTF representing the governors, we’ve drummed it that this second wave is more dangerous than what we saw before.

“In my state, we lost almost five people; they’re Very Important Personalities (VIPs); they’re VIPs; so, in terms of approach, we need to be very vigilant; we’ve said it several times.

“Although, it’s difficult to talk about locking down states now, but the way people are going; when you start talking about losing five people within two weeks.

“Yesterday, I saw it; my state recorded 160 cases, definitely, there must be an approach towards enforcement; so, this is what we are doing as governors, and we are taking it seriously.”

Lalong also said that he would, in the coming week, engage in a wide stakeholders’ meeting to emphasise the issue of enforcement.

He said he had warned people in the churches and other places that they must observe the protocols or face another lockdown.

“Every church I go to now; everywhere I go, I tell them; if you don’t follow enforcement, then you may go back to the last option of general lockdown but let us approach it because it is really very deadly now.

“Somebody gets it; one, two, three days, he is gone; but before, somebody gets it, you rush him to the centre; you go through processes, and you come out of it.

“But how many people will come out; how many people are privileged to even come out it like we do and that is the concern we have.

“The Federal Government is doing a lot honestly through the committee headed by the vice president, but it is just that people don’t want to follow the protocol.

“Just observe the normal non-pharmaceutical protocol, and definitely we will get over it,” he said.