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Ebola Scare Still Grips Lagos Hotels And Shopping Malls

 

The frenzy generated by the Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria seems to have waned in the last few days. Public places like hotels and shopping malls in the Lagos metropolis have not relaxed the screening they subject visitors for Ebola virus.

Most hotels and malls visited by ENCOMIUM Weekly have screening points where they measure the temperature of visitors with an infrared thermometre and also tell them to make use of the sanitizers.

At the Eko Hotel & Suites on Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, every visitor undergoes thorough screening at the entry points, both for Ebola and bomb before they are allowed to go in. The same process is in practice at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki Expressway, Lagos.

At the Four Points by Sheraton, around Oniru Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos, visitors undergo screening and made to splash their hands with the sanitizers installed at the entrance of the hotel.

Aside the bomb screening point at Wheatbaker Hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos, there is no Ebola screening. But visitors must make use of the sanitizers at the reception before being attended to by officials.

At Radisson Blu Anchorage, visitors can only be allowed in after they have been screened with the infrared thermometre. The management also makes available sanitizers to every lodger at the hotel free.

The same is replicated at the Sheraton Hotel & Tower in Ikeja, Lagos. From the entrance of the hotel, there are men who search every vehicle. There is also another screening point for Ebola.

Shopping malls across Lagos, where hitherto security against terror has not been relaxed have also included Ebola screening. At the two popular malls ENCOMIUM Weekly visited (Silverbird Galleria and Palms) both in Victoria Island, Lagos, there are Ebola screening points. Before being allowed into the Silverbird Galleria, visitors are told to make use of the sanitizers at the entry point.

The same thing is applicable at the Genesis Deluxe Cinemas inside Palms Shopping Mall, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Some shop owners at the malls even give out free hand sanitizers to customers who patronize them.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State government, during the week gave a hint on how they were able to contain the Ebola virus. Governor Babatunde Fashola, who gave insight into how the government was able to contain the out-break of the dreaded disease said, “They (victims) would have died in vain if we surrender to the virus. They are heroes and they must be appropriately recognised.

“We must continue to push forward in the fight against it. There is still problem in Liberia, Sierra Leone and other African countries. Their population is not what we have in Nigeria, especially in Lagos State. For Lagos alone, the capacity of the state encompasses many of those countries affected by the virus.”

On the strategy used by the state, the governor maintained, “Without the public health law which was passed in 2002, we would have been in trouble. This was one of the things our partners asked immediately they arrived. The law gives the state the opportunity to arrest anyone whose health constitutes danger to others.

“When we said yes, they were happy and they said that was where they started their work. Without the law, we could not have achieved what we did. When cremation law was passed few years ago, some residents kicked against it. We said it was not compulsory. But if Lagos wants to retain its status and achieve more, the law is needed. The law caters for foreigners that cremating is part of their life style. We did not foresee Ebola but the law became a veritable tool for us to curtail the spread of the virus because corpses are more dangerous than the carrier of the virus. Other states are now going to the parliament to seek the passage of the law.”

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