Following the continued rise in the number of confirmed cases of the Corona Virus in some parts of the country, the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT ) Administration recently ordered the closure of all public and private schools as well as the suspension of large public gatherings.
This move by the FCT Administration is seen as a plus, and rightly so, because Covid-19 is quite a strange but very deadly virus which for now has proven very difficult to contain, as confirmed by the World Health Organisation. So, any measure taken to break its chain of transmission is quite a welcome development.
There are reports indicating that the spread of Covid-19 may not have reached a pandemic level, had the authorities in China where it purportedly emanated taken adequate steps to isolate infected persons as advised by medical experts in the country. But the Chinese government chose to downplay the outbreak of the disease and the whole world is now suffering the consequences of this mistake.
Other countries also that may have dismissed the virus as a Chinese problem, such as the US, Italy, France, to mention but a few, are now the wiser for it, having been hit hard by the spread of this virus. Back here in the FCT, the decision to close schools and suspend large public gatherings is indeed a good one. Yes, it could be said to be preemptive but the decision still shows enormous responsibility by the FCT Administration considering what has come to other economies that have had to partially shut down because of this virus.
As responsible citizens, however, there is need for FCT residents, as a good show of patriotism to the national cause, to adhere strictly to the regulations that have been issued by government, especially the aspects of shunning large gatherings, be it academic, religious, family or other social gatherings like night clubs, market places, among others.
Other safety measures against the spread of Covid-19 given by the World Health Organisation include the regular washing of hands and disinfecting with alcohol-based hand sanitizers, practicing good respiratory hygiene by covering your mouth and nose with a bent elbow or tissue when you sneeze and cough and proper and immediate disposal.
Again, residents who may also experience such symptoms as fever, cough or difficulty in breathing have been advised to seek early medical care in order to begin early treatment or for possible isolation in the event that it is confirmed to be Covid-19 or any other disease for that matter.
Residents are also advised to stop the spread of fake news, avoid engaging in self-medication and equally discontinue panic buying of food items, as the authorities have confirmed that it has not gotten to that stage.
In the same vein, religious organizations must rise to the occasion by compelling their members to adhere strictly to the guidelines outlined by government and other health organizations. Any idea to try to play God or assume that Africans and indeed Nigerians are immune to the spread of the virus should be discouraged at this time.
Danladi Akilu,
Abuja
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