The National COVID-19 Research Consortium (NCRC) has expressed concern that yuletide season may amplify the spread of COVID-19 pandemic if the public reneges on strict compliance with safety protocols.
The researchers made this observation in a webinar forum by NCRC entitled: “Risk Factors in Festive Behaviours and COVID-19 Pandemic Control in Nigeria’’.
Prof. Oka Obono of the University of Ibadan and lead presenter at the event cautioned Nigerians against ignoring COVID-19 safety protocols during the season.
Obono who spoke on “Embodying Risk at Christmas for the Transmission of COVID-19 in Nigeria’’, said “the risks of spreading the virus are in four stages — at origin; that is pre-travel, during travel, at destination and post-travel.
“In the midst of all the celebrations, there is the risk of a surge in transmission and a surge upon a surge in the return migratory flow’’.
Obono advocated transport and movement regulations to halt the spread of the disease nation-wide, noting that internal migration would play a huge role in driving the spread of the virus if not regulated.
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Also, Dr Chinwo Ochu, the Programme Director, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and National Coordinator, NCRC, said “the way forward to stem the increase in COVID-19 pandemic is to increase funding for risk and crisis communication, especially at the sub-national level.
“Risk and crisis communication education have to be intensified and the local community ownership of interventions should be ensured.
“We need to sustain Take Responsibility campaign, build capacity at sub-national levels as well as trust through transparency and integrity in the development and implementation of public policies.
“COVID-19 pandemic is as real as ever in Nigeria and trends show a progression towards the second wave.
“Risk is higher at festive moments and aggressive and sustained risk communication and community engagement measures are pertinent’’.
Prof. Uche Isiuzo-Abanihe, former Vice-Chancellor, Paul University, Awka said that more efforts were needed to be deployed at the rural areas to get dwellers to believe that “there is COVID-19 pandemic and ensure they take to its preventive measures’’.
Also, Prof. William Brieger, from John Hopkins University, U.S., who spoke on lessons from previous epidemics, said “there is the need to address system issues and not only focus on what individuals should do.
“Control of the spread of the virus must rely on a package of interventions; listen to the community and gain their trust as well as involve them in the problem-solving process.’’
In their goodwill messages, Prof. Babatunde Salako of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research and Dr Chike Ihekweazu, the Director-General NCDC, commended the Social science Working Group for the topic few weeks to yuletide season.
They called for proper dissemination of the discussion to the media and worship centres as a way of reducing the recent increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.