Covid-19 Second Wave… Take Responsibility
It is not in doubt that Nigeria is currently experiencing the second wave of the Corona Virus pandemic. For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, the number of confirmed positive cases hit a thousand.
Precisely, a total number of 1,145 cases of Covid-19 were yesterday reported across 24 states. The continued spread of this virus puts increased pressure on our already fragile health systems and threatens the economy. As we move into the festive season, now more than ever, the need to take responsibility becomes more urgent. What plans have you made for the yuletide? Do they comply with the Covid-19 guidelines?
A Page Each Day today presents excerpts from my yet to be published book about a family”s preparation during the first wave of the pandemic. Dear reader, take care not to sacrifice your health and safety and those of your loved ones on the altar of Christmas celebration. Take a walk with me.
Mr. Tony could hardly wait to hear that statement. He had noted down all the important points from the broadcast with the plan to read them out during their scheduled family meeting. He turned towards his wife only to realise that she had dozed off. He woke her up with a gentle tap. ‘Honey, are you already sleeping?’ Esther stretched and yawned then opened her eyes. ‘That speech was damn so boring,’ she started. ‘I tried to keep awake but it got to a point that I couldn’t hold it anymore.’ ‘This one you look so tired and worn out, can we still hold our family meeting at all?’ asked Mr. Tony. ‘Now like this? Which kind meeting? Ah! No oh! Me I’m tired. I’m going upstairs to sleep. Please let’s have it tomorrow morning after prayers’, she said and started walking up the stairs.
Early the next morning, Esther woke up and went into the kitchen to start breakfast. Her husband had gone to bed the previous night worried about how they would all cope. From the president’s speech that evening, there were facilities for medical care for infected people but how true was this? He knew Nigeria so well. The masses didn’t depend much on government because it seemed government was only for a few people. The economy was largely private sector driven. Most Nigerians believed they could not have quality service as long as it was from government. He kept thinking of how government could all of a sudden become so efficient to solely manage Covid-19 patients. He was still deep in those thoughts till midnight when he slept off.
‘Good morning to you all,’ Mr. Tony started.
‘This family meeting is very important given the times we are in. I believe that everybody seated here is aware of the new disease, Covid-19, that is plaguing the world currently. It is sad that the disease is already here with us in Abuja. The case of Lagos is even worse. The infection figures are gradually going up. In other parts of the world like USA, the situation is worse. People are dying daily large numbers. We haven’t gotten to that point yet and pray that we don’t even get there. Yesterday, from the presidential broadcast, the government will continue to do all it can to contain the spread of this virus. Large gatherings like parties and other celebrations are discouraged and where they must take place, they must adhere strictly to the Covid-19 guidelines. Religious activities must adhere to the measures of temperature checks, washing of hands and use of hand sanitizers as well as wearing face masks. We are advised to wash our hands every now and then and maintain distances between each other especially when we go out for any reason. As a family, we must do everything to keep ourselves safe. The way this virus works, it’s very easy to infect everyone if one person here gets infected. It can settle on surfaces like doors and car door handles, chair handles, the remote controls, even cutlery. We must be very, very careful so that nobody ever gets infected.’
Mr. Tony turned towards his wife, ‘Honey, you must go to the market this morning and get all food stuffs and other supplies that we’ll need for the house during this period. Do a list of everything we’ll need in the house and let me know the total cost so that I can make available the money. You can’t be going to the market every day. Stock up the house so that we minimise going out.’ Esther nodded and started doing a mental picture of all she needed to put down. This particular shopping was going to be a huge task but given the circumstance, she had to brace up to do it. There was no other way.
‘And Jane, before I forget, always clean the rails as well as the door and chair handles and all the remote controls with spirit or disinfectant and cotton wool from time to time. We can all keep reminding her or doing it ourselves till we become used to these measures. Wash your hands. Just keep washing your hands. I’ll also get some Vitamin C tablets and Paracetamol on my way back later in the day. It is said that ‘we should always do our best and leave the rest to God.’ That’s what we’ll all do to stay safe from covid-19,’ he concluded.
As planned, the family made all the arrangements to ensure safety and stay uninfected from Covid-19. Mr. Tony continued to go to work while still adhering to the guidelines. He constantly kept a bottle of hand sanitizer in the car and on his office table and had many packs of face masks too. He was generous with these items such that if anyone came around him without a mask on, he would hand them one immediately while stretching the hand sanitizer towards their palms. He wasn’t taking chances at all.
One day, he started feeling unwell. His temperature was high and he noticed that he had slight cough. Everybody in the house became worried. “What if he was infected by the Corona virus?” they all thought. To assuage their fears, calling for a test was the only sure way. Amidst the fear, Madam dialled the emergency toll free line of the NCDC inviting them to come and take her husband’s sample. They delayed for two whole days, days that were packed with anxiety. When they eventually collected his sample, it took another three days. The process of confirming a case as positive to Covid-19 was rigorous. Normally, a suspected case could only be confirmed after testing which was only carried out by the NCDC. Samples were collected from the suspected case and where positive, it was flagged by the epidemiologists who alerted the case investigation team to move the case to a treatment facility. The contact tracers then followed up on all possible contacts of the confirmed case. All the contacts were placed on strict self-isolation during which their samples were collected for tests. If any of the results came out positive, the cycle was repeated.
The family anxiously waited for three days. While it was possible for Mr. Tony to get better, because of the fretfulness, his health deteriorated. When his results came out, he was negative. Mr. Tony said he became well immediately. He asked his wife for his favourite meal to celebrate. To him, it was a big feat. He resolved to increase the level of adherence to the safety measures of Covid-19 as a person and as a family. He said, “it is better to stay healthy and alive than to decide to live freely and enjoy while endangering yourself and loved ones.
Dear readers, will you take a cue from Mr. Tony or will you go out and say “Christmas comes only once in a year?” If you’re healthy and stay alive, you can celebrate many more Christmas. Which would you rather choose? Take responsibility! Happy preparation!
