The Bauchi state government, on Thursday, flagged off the distribution of 700,000 face masks to beneficiaries in the state as part of its efforts to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

Governor Bala Mohammed represented by his deputy and Chairman of the COVID-19 response team, Baba Tela flagged off the distribution in Bauchi, saying that the government initially planned to distribute 1 million face masks, but due to the challenge of space and logistics, the government could only afford to produce 700,000 face mask.

He noted that one of the primary means of transmitting the deadly COVID-19 is the emission of small respiratory droplets of the virus from infected persons who are either symptomatic, asymptomatic or a person with full-blown COVID-19, while also stressing that the NCDC protocol on combating the spread of the infection requires amongst others, ensuring physical distancing, wearing of face masks, contacting tracing and Isolation.