COVID-19: Lagos government has relaxed restrictions on social gatherings, event centres

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved a further easing of restrictions on social gatherings and event centres across the state on Friday.

According to a statement by the Lagos Safety Commission on Friday, the easing of restrictions on social and event centres takes immediate effect.

The governor made “due consultation and deliberations with relevant stakeholders and MDAs including the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and Lagos State Safety Commission and approved the further easing of social centres across the State with immediate effect,” the statement said.

Disclosing fresh guidelines for event facilities, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Uzamat Akinbile, said failure to comply with the directives will attract penalties stipulated by the Lagos state Infectious Diseases Regulation 2020.

With this further easing of restrictions, event centres are allowed to have a maximum of 500 people irrespective of their capacity.

There is also an upward review of events duration allowable for social gatherings from maximum of two hours to a maximum of six hours.

Full guidelines for social/event facilities are as follows:

– All event centres must hold a valid license of the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture prior to operating as an event center in the State.

– All event centres must be duly registered and verified on The Lagos State Safety Commission website www.lasgsafetyreg.com prior to holding any event.

– An Event Safety Clearance must be obtained from the Lagos State Safety Commission through the website www.lasgsafetyreg.com for any proposed event or exhibition.

– Safety Marshals shall be deployed by an accredited event safety consultant from Lagos State Safety Commission for every social event with attendance exceeding over 200 people.

– Occupancy limit at any event must not exceed 50% of the maximum design capacity of the hall, wherein Occupancy Limit stickers provided by the Lagos State Safety Commission must be boldly pasted at the entrance of the event hall.

– Maximum allowable capacity for Event Centers irrespective of occupancy limit is 500 people.

– Deep cleaning must be carried out before and after every event.

Physical distancing shall be maintained between seated guests and a maximum number of seated guests should be 6 (six) people on a table of 10 (ten)persons.

– Event duration should not exceed a maximum period of 6-hours.

– All guests and service providers at the facility must wear a nose mask and make use of hand sanitizers

– All guests and service providers must endeavor to wash their hands before entering the venue or in the alternative use hand sanitizers.

– Temperature checks must be taken at all entry points into a facility.

– Guests and service providers with temperature (above 37.5) are to be politely turned back and referred to paramedics or the emergency response team on ground.

– Hand sanitizers must be positioned at the entry points and different spots within the hall.

– All event centers must endeavor to display standard COVID-19 safety signs. The signs must be bold and installed at conspicuous locations.

– Event centre owners/ planners/vendors would be responsible for any breach of protocols by their staff.

Mrs Akinbile urged event centres operators to comply with the guidelines, as a violation of the protocols will attract fines and penalties in line with the Lagos State Infectious Diseases Control Regulation 2020