The management of First Bank Limited yesterday announced it has activated its emergency response programme to protect customers and other stakeholders after a staff at its Marina Lagos branch after it discovered that a staff at the branch had tested positive to the dreaded Coronavirus disease.
A statement by the bank’s management said it had in line with its safety policy directed all staff of the bank to self- isolate while it decontaminated the branch and deployed a fresh compliment of staff to man its operations. It had also advised customers who visited the branch during the period under review self isolate and also get tested.
The bank’s statement on the development read in part “We have just confirmed that one of our staff working in FirstBank, Marina branch had tested positive to COVID-19 on 15 June, 2020.
In line with our COVID-19 emergency response plan, we have immediately activated our established incident management protocols. These include asking all staff of the branch to go on self-isolation and get tested.
In addition, we immediately swung to action and have thoroughly disinfected the branch and the entire vicinity overnight.
We have brought in a fresh team of our staff who have been given brand new Personal Protection kits and equipment to work with therefore, ensuring that there is no risk to any staff working out of the branch or any customer who chooses to bank with us at the same branch.
We are further requesting through this communication that anyone who visited the branch between 10 June and 15 June, 2020 to follow government established protocols. We encourage them to self-solate, contact Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to get tested.
Staff of the branch, whose tests are ongoing at the moment, will not be returning to work until they are medically certified.
The impact of COVID-19 has become the new normal and as we learn to live and deal with it, swift, the effective and decisive response in dealing with the challenges as they arise to ensure minimal disruption to service is critical as our new reality.
The well-being of our staff, customers and communities remains paramount to us at FirstBank and we are adopting all necessary safety measures for all stakeholders’ at this unprecedented time.”