Relaxing lockdown may worsen COVID-19 spread – Experts

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From Akinnodi Francis, Ore

As COVID-19 confirmed cases continue to increase, health experts have decried noncompliance with relaxation guidelines, stressing that the development may further worsen the spread of the virus across the country.

In  separate interviews with The Hope, the experts described activities in the local communities across the states as disastrous.

Dr. Sunday Ogunyemi, lamented that Nigerians have thrown caution to the wind with the turnout of people on the streets, banking halls, markets with no regard for health guidelines against coronavirus fight.

“We must all take responsibility at this time; the virus is not a joke, we must stand together to fight it. The disregard to all guidelines would only worsen the situation”.

He expressed worry that despite the contagious nature of the disease, people still pack themselves in vehicles without any form of protection.

“In Ore, people packed together in banking halls, in markets, commercial vehicles even in big cities, vehicles still carried two passengers in the front seat and fully loaded with three or four passengers at the back.

“And that is why this is really worrisome because it is a respiratory disease,” he submitted.

Also an environmental health officer who does not want his name in print  blamed some of the challenges on the government’s inability to provide enabling environment for compliance.

He said that with the infrastructural deficit in the country, it would be difficult to get maximum compliance with the guidelines.

He further noted that as the situation stands, there might be an exponential rise in the reported cases of COVID-19 by the end of this month, (May), as no one can quantify the level of transmission that was currently going on due to the level of recklessness.

“I believe what we need now is more of public education and enlightenment; we would want a change of strategies. The economic impact of the lockdown will be much on the country. We will not advocate a second lockdown”.

On his part, a community leader, Chief (Dr.) Salami Abdu who rated compliance to the use of nose mask in Odigbo communities at 70 per cent and social distancing zero said the government could have done better by keeping the citizens in the house a bit longer with proper distribution of palliatives.

He said government needs to provide hand sanitizers to commercial buses in order to sanitize the hands of commuters when entering their buses.

“We have lost the opportunity of the first lockdown by terminating it prematurely, therefore a repeat is like starting all over and if we are doing that government must be ready with adequate palliative that will keep people at home”.

He urged the federal government to launch a campaign that would educate Nigerians on the need to comply with NCDC guidelines.