It is bad enough that the world is still battling with the virulence of COVID -19 pandemic believed to have emanated from Wuhan in China in December 2019. Worse still, many Nigerians are skeptical of the virus. There are some people who believe that coronavirus is mere illusion and in the process of trying to rationalize and support their various positions, different, mundane and trivial reasons were brought to the fore
IN Ondo State, the recent revelation by the state Governor, Arakunrin Odunayo Akeredolu, that he was infected with the virus should be enough to let those clinging to the tree of doubt about the presence of the virus in our midst wake up from their slumber.
MUCH as one can see this as irony of fate, we must appreciate the boldness and good statesmanship exhibited by the Governor for opening up and acknowledging his COVID 19 status. It is ironical because he had taken virtually all that a good leader with the love of his people at heart should do to avoid the coronavirus from not taking much toll on his people.
A total number of 33,153 are infected with the virus in Nigeria out of which Ondo State recorded 738 COVID-19 positive patients.
ALL the same, The Hope notes that his coming out openly to declare having the virus should be enough to convince those who feel that the coronavirus is just a matter of imagination that it is real.
GOVERNOR’s open declaration, where some would have just gone into hiding is commendable.
He has, by his action, portrayed that having the virus does not mean death sentence. Fortunately, he has survived the ordeal. He has also demonstrated that people seeming to have symptoms that look like Malaria should not take for granted or resort to under the counter treatment but should go for testing so that much and irreparable damages are not done.
THE Hope calls on Nigerians to be ready to face the tough and saddening reality of the presence of Coronavirus in our midst and therefore work towards controlling it and possibly eradicating it.
Playing the Ostrich by burying one’s head in the sand while leaving the rest of the body in the open won’t do much good for us. To curtail the frightening spread of the virus in our country, the use of the face masks should be made not only compulsory but with sanction. Anybody who fails to wear mask should be made to face the consequence so as to serve as deterrent to others. More testing machines should be procured so that people would be encouraged to make themselves available.
WE suggest that the trending issue of whether to reopen schools should be approached with caution. Our nation should learn from the pitfalls of some countries that lifted their lockdown earlier than they ought to and thus exposed many to their children to infection. The Hope enjoins governments to tarry alot in opening schools. Schools should only be opened when teachers have been trained adequately enough to be able to handle all preventive protocols necessary to avoid compounding the problem on ground because school children can easily contract the virus and infect others..
WE recommend that trained teachers and school heads should be monitored by dedicated and committed committees of monitoring group to ensure that schools, both governments and private owned comply with the laid down directives and schools found to fall short of expected standards should be shut down or sanctioned.