#Think Along With Me

COVID-19: A call for caution

By Bayo Fasunwon

 

Another phase of the lockdown is in place. However, by the tune and provisions of the lockdown, kit is rather the easing of lockdown rather than enforcement of lockdown. By the new provisions, all primary and secondary schools are to open their gates to all categories of students that would be writing their ‘transitional’ examinations. These cover students in primary six, JSSCE 3, and SSCE 3. These sets of students need to write and pass their examinations in order to move to the next phase of their academic pursuits.
These categories of students would need to be harvested from all the nations wherein they have hibernated at the onset of the pandemic. In order to facilitate their return to their various schools, scattered all over Nigeria, the need to relax the lockdown on interstate travels became imperative. Although, the interstate lockdown have been both effectual, it had reduced human traffic to the barest minimum. Now that the lockdown has been lifted, with terms and conditions, one expects that traffic would pick up as the days go by.
Many concerned Nigerians, are worried that NCDC’s advice and government’s policy choice on the eve of rise in COVID 19 infections across the nation seems grave. However, it seems that government is caught between the Shark and the deep blue sea. While COVID threatens those on the streets, those in the homes are dying of hunger, and government seemed handicap in truly alleviating these pangs of hunger due to economic crunch. Besides, it seems government have concluded that the virus would be with us for a very long time to come, and there was therefore no need to keep hiding from this deadly neighbour. This is given that at this period, and conveniently too, government has acceded to the fuel pump increase to about one hundred and forty three naira per litre. The excuse is that crude oil has increased to around $40 per barrel.
So if it increases to $50 per barrel, Nigerians would be made to pay close to two hundred naira per litre. Also, the free daily messages of telecom companies have stopped, signaling an end to COVID 19 lockdown? But, it is also plausible that government has access to some pieces of information that the nationals are not privy to. While government has yielded to pressures from many quarters, the entire populace should not throw caution to the winds.
For the schools that have been given the green light to resume, the NCDC protocols must be fully adhered to. Government must however realize that some of these protocols may not find full adherence due to some prevailing circumstances. For example, as simple as the instructions to wash hands with soap, the question is how many schools have limitless access to running water? Well, PTA organisations and government must form a synergy to provide water in all schools on resumption. Where possible, and that is even desirable, boreholes should be drilled in all schools; and where that is not possible, water tanks and reservoirs must be made available in these schools. It will also not be out of place to supply schools with sanitizers and soaps at this period. Ordinarily, if schools get their subventions in adequate proportions and timely too, they should be able to provide these, but we know, those subventions have become a privilege rather than a duty of governments to schools. The same approach should be given to provision and use of face masks by both teachers and pupils.
More importantly, trained medical personnel should be on ground in all the schools. The primary Health Care Centers should give health support to all schools now. My fear is that the paucity of health practitioners in most States would be laid bare at this time. Be that as it may, the presence of at least a qualified Nurse in the premises of the school would help in identifying health challenges, and provide the necessary attention that is timely and appropriate. Therefore on resumption and on daily basis, temperature of staff and students must be checked on entrance into the schools, and randomly too. This therefore implies that the schools’ dispensary must necessarily be equipped with drugs, nets and other necessary materials to guarantee the safety of both staff and students. Furthermore, random COVID 19 checks can be conducted on both staff and students in order to identify asymptomatic carriers of the virus.
Finally, there is no need to keep the students in school for a long period of time. In my candid opinion, the students should begin their examinations at most, a week after resumption. This would enable them to get rid of the anxiety of waiting for exams, which in turn could provoke examination fevers. Furthermore, an early start would inform that the examinations would be concluded on time, thereby reducing the period of association of students in a particular community. Examination bodies therefore must put hands on deck and ensure that examination materials are produced and distributed within this time to facilitate the smooth and fast execution of the examinations. As the lockdown is been gradually relaxed, caution must be the watchword of all Nigerians, because the virus is still much more with us.
For public transport operators, aside from adhering strictly to the NCDC’s protocol, there is the need to emphasize that overloading and over speeding must be jettisoned. Given that interstate travels are only permitted within the non curfew hours, the tendency to speed up and make money within the time allotted would be very high. Passengers should caution their drivers, while the FRSC must be alive to their duties in campaign and monitoring to ensure that more lives are not lost to accidents than to the virus itself.
It is with deep sorrow and sadness to hear about the death of Dr. Wahab Adegbenro, the erstwhile Commissioner of Health in Ondo State. He was a General in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, but quite unfortunately, he fell in active service. His contributions and selfless service to the State, especially in the health sector is without comparison. I join the State in mourning this monumental loss to humanity. Immortalizing such a wonderful soul would be a wonderful idea, but most importantly, his quest that the virus should be curtailed in the State must be respected and enforced. Also, it is sad to hear that the Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu is also infected, most likely, in the course of carrying out his duty to his people and the State. I wish the Governor, and his aides quick recovery. I pray that even as other Governors had returned from isolation to continue their good work in office, so shall it be for our Governor in no distant time.

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