The Presidential Task Force on the coronavirus pandemic has asked the Nigerian garment factories especially tailors all over the country to start producing face masks using local fabrics such as Ankara and others.

Chairman of the task force and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, made the plea during its daily briefing in Abuja on Thursday, adding that this would encourage people to wear the face masks whenever they are outside their homes.

Mustapha said;  “Let me also encourage all our garment factories and tailors all over the nation that this is the time to start producing locally, using our local fabrics, the Ankara and all other materials that we have because of advisories that as much as possible, we should wear our face masks whenever we are outside our homes.

“That way, we’ll reduce the chances, in addition to other necessary things that you need to do, of infection or infecting others.

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“It is critical to repeat, however, that compliance with the advisories for personal hygiene, social distancing, restriction of movement, early reporting of symptoms and wearing of masks regularly, especially in public, remain the best measures for the prevention of infections and to slow down the spread.”

The SGF also advised persons on essential duties who must move during the lockdown to carry with them means of identification to avoid harassment.

He said: “I urge everyone to please exercise patience in communicating with the law-enforcement agents assigned to ensure compliance with the presidential orders. They are there to protect all of us!

Mustapha also noted that the task force is putting a close eye on the trajectory of the infection in the country given the single highest jump recorded on Wednesday.

While noting that many people are also being discharged after surviving the disease, he reiterated his plea to Nigerians to comply with the protocols already issued to prevent infection.