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There is no denying the fact that with each passing day it becomes more apparent that not a few Nigerians need to be enlightened so the mask must be worn correctly on the face to cover the nose and mouth, and not left covering alone. the mouth or jaw. The convenience of this vision cannot be said to be unnecessary, as the reality of adjusting to living with COVID-19, with some of the measures now being used to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, cannot be easily discounted with a simple hand movement. . Simply put, not a few Nigerians, particularly the residents of Lagos and Ogun states, lower their guard on wearing face masks with each passing day.
Although the practice has apparently become a fashion statement for some, the use of masks remains one of the main protective measures recommended by the government when people move through public spaces. However, there could be danger in the future if the government does not aggressively carry out public information through the information desk of the Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC). Clearly, the responsibility for the above suggestion rests with the Center by virtue of being the only facility charged with responding to the challenges of public health emergencies and improving Nigeria’s preparedness and response to epidemics through prevention, detection and control. of communicable diseases.
In my opinion, the Center should go beyond the routine of informing Nigerians about the Statistics of the States affected by the disease, the number of cases (confirmed by laboratory), the number of cases (on admission), the number of discharged and the number of deaths. Without any hint of hyperbole, there is an urgent need for the Center to create more public awareness and sensitize the public to the urgent need to make the wearing of face masks a habit as an additional step to reduce the rapid spread of COVID-19.
The reason why it is considered to be too early in this context for Nigerians to lower their guard on the use of the mask cannot be far-fetched either, as the statistical report on the pandemic, as the disease reaches the country, is mind-boggling enough to be kidding. According to Statista, “On February 28, 2021, the number of positive tests for coronavirus (COVID-19) increased by 240 in Nigeria, reaching 155,657 cases in total. As of the same date, there were a total of 1,907 casualties and 133.8 thousand recoveries in the country. Nigeria is the sixth highest ranked African country in terms of recorded cases. January 23 saw the largest daily increase in cases in Nigeria since the beginning of the pandemic. “
In an updated report, Worldometer, another online statistical news website like Statista, stated that Nigeria’s coronavirus cases currently stood at 158,042 on Friday, March 5, 2021 with a death rate of 1,954 and a number of recoveries. of 137.025.
Given the statistics above, it is quite plausible that people resorted to wearing their face masks correctly rather than endangering other people’s lives. The reason for this cannot be far-fetched, as “one person’s Covid-19 infection is a danger to everyone.”
It is no exaggeration to say that the reason why health experts have been repeatedly urging the public to wear face masks since the virus became a challenge of pandemic dimension cannot be divorced from the fact that cases of the infection have continued. increasing as evidenced by the statistics above, and the reason there is a steady increase in infection has to do with the public’s indifferent compliance with what researchers are learning about the effectiveness of face coverings.
A growing number of studies point to the mask as a powerful tool that can help control the spread of the coronavirus, which has so far infected thousands of Nigerians. Experts have given the following compelling reasons for why people have to wear masks based on research conducted for this purpose.
First of all, the mask not only protects the user, but also protects other people from infection. It should be noted in this context that the reason why people should always wear their masks and use them correctly is to limit the rate of transmission of the coronavirus from person to person by respiratory droplets that are produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks. It is pertinent to say at this time that commercial bus operators and their passengers have flagrantly violated the existing rule. To put it again, masks can block the droplets of those who speak with saliva coming out of their mouths, and those who sneeze or cough with droplets released by the unhealthy action. Unfortunately, most Nigerians find wearing a face mask that protects anyone from contamination by virus-containing particles that can escape an infected individual and land on another person is disgusting and a burden.
Once again, one school of thought says that whether people love to wear a mask or hate it, it has become a critical part of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as the coronavirus disease is believed , like other confusing diseases that, passing through the Ebola virus disease (EVD), Lassa fever and monkey pox have come to stay and, in the same vein, have become a fundamental part of humanity.
At this juncture, it is not an exaggeration to say that every word spoken by Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, NCDC Director General, during the first anniversary since the first case was reported in Nigeria, conveyed a large measure of the ferocity of the pandemic. since throughout his speech he emphasized the need to continue solidarity and adherence to social and public health measures in the country, with special reference to Covid-19.
He said: “In 2020, our country truly came together in solidarity against the virus. The impact of this has been obvious from small personal gestures, such as sharing food, to collaboration in research and innovation, to regional and pan-African collaboration. Despite the best efforts of the government, it will take time to vaccinate everyone against COVID-19. We must continue to adhere to the social and public health measures that keep each and every one of us safe. This means physical distancing, use of face masks, practice of hand and breathing hygiene and avoiding crowded closed places ”.
In my opinion, any Nigerian old enough to understand the danger that the pandemic poses to humanity should resort to wearing their mask and make it a habit. An African proverb says that the millipede found crawling on the body is removed with bare hands, as there is no time to waste looking for a decent way to remove it. It is time for us to accept the fact that Covid-19 has come to stay with us, and we must accept it with all the protective disposition we can have to keep it away from us. To literally wave the red flag, once again in this context, it is too early to lower our guard on mask use.
