The Lagos State Government has intesified the disinfection of major bus stops, parks and railings in the metropolis as part of efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Mr Oluwasegun Benson, Vector Control Consultant, Ministry of Environment, said the exercise was to ensure a clean environment and protect the citizenry against contracting the virus.
Benson told the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) on Thursday after the disinfection of Ikoyi Link Bridge and Lekki Toll Gate that the exercise followed a directive by Gov. Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“Mr Governor, who is the Incident Commander, has been proactive and mandated us to disinfect the whole of Lagos State, especially the parks and areas that are prone to infection spread, due to the handling of hand railings at bus stops and the likes.
“We disinfected the Lekki Toll Gate and the Lekki/Ikoyi link bridge hand railings where many people jog. We felt it was necessary because a lot of hands touch the railings to reduce the possibilities of being infected when activities returns.
“We disinfect at night to ensure effectiveness and ensure the chemicals used will have no adverse effect on human health as it remains one of the means to kill the virus,” he said.
He explained that there were differences between disinfection and fumigation, depending on chemicals used and proper dilution rate.
“Disinfecting is sanitising or applying disinfectant that would kill viruses, while fumigation is using insecticides to kill pets.
“Due to the disinfection, the virus are invisible with the eyes, preferably such samples of disinfectant chemicals are Sodium hypo chlorides, Sulphur with a mix of hydrogen peroxide to make it effective for sanitising.
“That is why we are encouraged to make use of our hand sanitisers which contains about 70 per cent of alcohol; these are all the substances that kill viruses on surfaces,” Benson said.
He called for self quarantine while at home, inculcate the habit to social distancing and adhere to government directive to stay off the road to contain the spread of the virus
He said that disinfection exercise would continue during the two-week lockdown at Ikorodu, Lagos mainland, Ajah, Apapa and Igammu axis.
