COVID-19: NCDC asks politicians to adopt new campaign methods

COVID-19: NCDC asks politicians to adopt new campaign methods

Tuesday, July 7, 2020 8:40 am


Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC

With political activities toward the Edo and Ondo governorship elections gathering momentum even as cases of COVID-19 have continued to increase in the country, the Nigeria Centre for Disease  Control, NCDC, has advised politicians to adopt new methods of campaign to help slow the spread of the virus.

Instead of the usual large gatherings in stadiums and other public places, the Centre has advised politicians to use media channels like radio, television and social media to reach out to the electorates.

The advice, contained in the new guidelines for election released by NCDC came as the cases of Covid-19  in the country surpassed the 29,000 mark with confirmation of 575 new infections.

The NCDC said on its official twitter handle, late Monday that the total number of infections from the virus has risen to 29,286 in the country.

“Till date, 29,286 cases have been confirmed, 11,828 cases have been discharged and 654 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory,’’ it tweeted.

The agency said that the 575 new cases were reported from 20 states- Lagos (123), FCT (100), Delta(58), Edo(52), Ogun (42), Katsina (24), Bayelsa (23), Rivers (22), Borno(19) and Plateau(18)

Others are Ondo(18), Oyo(17), Kwara (15), Osun (13), Enugu (9), Nasarawa (7), Abia(6), Cross River(5), Kaduna(3) and Ekiti(1).

In its newly published guidelines, the NCDC called on politicians to help curb the spread of COVID-19 by using channels that will not involve large gatherings of people during their campaign.

According to the Centre, the use of the traditional and social media, rather than bringing large number of people together to canvass for their for votes would help check the spread of COVID-19 infections.

It also called for careful adherence to mass gathering guideline.

“We urge our politicians to take responsibility and lead by example.

“We ask you to please think of the lives of the electorates first.

“Your electorates, staying alive, is much more important than any vote you can win.

“The guideline is to support critically, Nigerians that will be going to vote.

“The virus thrives in mass gathering and there is a challenge that we have in the way we have conducted our elections before, during and post.

“In this guideline, we try and offer advice on how to do this safely,’’ it explained.


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