Prior to President Muhammadu Buhari’s Nationwide address on April 27, there have been speculations all around for what fate awaits the Nigerian people especially those in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja, either another extension of the lockdown or an ease after spending about 28 days at home. Some wanted it lifted to go back to their daily economic activities without looking at the other effect. Lo and Behold! The announcement came and the president announced a week extension with activities to resume in the states with lockdown on May 4.
Many were happy returning to status quo after spending more than 28 days in isolation but the question is, are we now free from COVID-19?
The intent of the government on the ease even for states that were not part of the president’s order for closure but decided to in its best interest like Delta, was mainly to bring calmness and ease on its citizens whom have persevered the pain and agony of hunger especially for those whose means of survival rests on their daily economic activities.
With close observation of cases reported by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) since the plan for ease of the lockdown, the figure have skyrocketed from the usual double digits to alarming mighty three digits. From April 28, 29 and 30, 195, 196 and 204 cases where recorded with the usual high figures coming from some of the states to ease their lockdown.
Welcoming the month of May as hope of returning to normal is high, 238, 220, 170, 245, 148, 195 and whopping 381 cases were discovered on each day of the month from the first day. The death cases is a no go area talkless the strange guest claiming the lives of many in some northern states.
If the cases could be as high as we have ever recorded at the brim of easing the lockdown where a larger percentage of the population are at home, now that the lockdown is ease or let me say over, who knows what the coming days has in stock for us.
The simple answer to the question is; we are still actively battling for a certain survival with an uncertain duration in the shackles of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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A walk to some major areas such as the banks, markets and other places would signal ones sense that we are now free from the deadly COVID-19, whereas the virus if possessed of human character, would just keep smiling of the number of abode it will dwell within a very short period.
These places were extremely filled with no clear observance of the social distancing precautionary measure which is to an extent a very major way to safety. The running and free mixing are very obvious and alarming for even the visually impaired and deaf to perceive. The view of the customers trying to gain access into the banking hall to achieve their mission and those at the ATM stand was business as usual where we hustle and bustle to get our aims realized. Is this the right time to do so?. Obviously not, otherwise we would be pushing ourselves to our doom.
The best way so far which has helped in controlling the spread is the lockdown and stay at home order. Though there might be increase in community transmission since there are no flights coming into the country. The lockdown needs to be fully and well enforced with all strict measures to strike sense into the reasoning of the common man. The use of face mask is not a complete solution but rather a precautionary measures which would be more effective if the stay at home measures is being adhered to by many.
One just hope the cases looming to be recorded in coming days especially after the 2 to 14 days the virus takes to manifest in its host would cause the nation a mysterious downfall as recorded in 1918 during the Spanish Flu. The Spanish Flu occured in three waves which spanned for about 2 years with about 500 million infected cases and over 50 million deaths.
Just like the Corona Virus, the Spanish Flu came and one of the major measures that was told to people was to isolate themselves and maintain social distancing.
After the first wave, people came out violating the precautionary measures administered to them and before they could realise, the second wave have consumed tens of millions of death. There is urgent and strict need to prevent the repetition of this which occured over a century ago.
A message from the Coordinator of the presidential Task Force, Dr Sani Aliyu at one of its briefing that there are very few ventilators in the country is enough take home for citizens who seeks to remain safe and sound in isolation. If the cases kept increasing, how would the ventilators be utilised for the such large number of patients? This definitely would be at the detriment of the common and ordinary man who fails to heed the clear warning of the Warner.
The sudden dominance of Kano state which came from zero and became a sudden hero kicking off the Federal Capital Territory from the second position with its geometric progression and according to a professor of Mathematics in the University of Benin, if what is needed to be done is not done, it would rise exponentially, is another notation to enforce the lockdown. Its performance could be likened to an English Premier League, Leicester City who came from the second division to lift the league’s trophy in presence of almighty Manchester Clubs, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal in the 2015/2016 football season.
Shotonwa Waheed is a journalist and can be reached via shotonwa.waheed@gmail.com or 08087494866
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