Festivities: Covid-19 is still very much here – Experts

By Ijeoma UKAZU

Easter celebration and Id el Fitr festivities happening around the same period are moments people could be exposed and vulnerable to the coronavirus infections, also known as Covid-19.

Experts say most new infections usually occur during festivities as there are increased travels, gatherings, and parties but with increased vaccination as well as adherence to Covid-19 precautionary measures, there would be reduced infections.

Coronavirus disease, Covid-19, is known to spread from person to person through droplets released when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Most people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment.

However, some will become seriously ill and require medical attention. In some cases, some infected with the virus particularly the elderly and those managing chronic diseases could die.

Though, there is a reduction in Covid-19 infection and deaths among Nigerians, the nation’s disease control agency still reports a number of new infections and deaths.

Covid-19 reports from the website of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC show that, from 25th to 31st March 2023, 5 new confirmed cases were recorded as of 8th April from two states – Lagos and Rivers.

Confirming this, Lagos State, which is the epicenter of Covid-19 has been able to achieve only 27 percent out of the eight million adults targeted for vaccination in the state as of March.

Dr. Olubunmi Akinlade, who is the state immunization coordinator at the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, LSPHCB, expressed worry over the low turnout of eligible adult citizens in the state for the vaccination, stating that Covid-19 is still very much in the country.

For Lagos State, Akinlade said the target is to vaccinate 69,000 people daily based on the eight million targets but noted that the high reluctance of people to get vaccinated is greatly slowing down the exercise.

According to her, “Only about 20,000 to 30,000 people present themselves for vaccination each day and such a figure is not encouraging more so that the virus is still around and that some people contract it and die without showing the symptoms.”

She said, “It is imperative for Nigerians that are yet to access COVID-19 vaccination to do so without delay. While those that are yet to get the second dose of the vaccination are advised to do so. Persons that have taken the complete doses should ensure they go for the booster, irrespective of the COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy being experienced in the country.”

The medical expert made this known at a two-day media roundtable organized by the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency, NOA held recently in Lagos state has called for increased vaccination for eligible Lagosians.

The Lagos state immunization coordinator further expressed concern that many who had taken the first dose of the vaccination have not turned up for the second dose while some that have taken the complete doses do not even bother to come for the booster vaccination.

However, she stressed that taking both the complete dose as well as the booster had become necessary in view of the continued existence of the coronavirus in the country. “COVID-19 is still very much here; people are coming into the country daily. We need to ensure that we are vaccinated.”

She said in other developed countries, they have vaccinated a lot of their citizens, yet coronavirus cases are still being recorded abroad. Based on the development of more people coming into Nigeria from those developed nations, Dr. Akinlade said eligible adults in Nigeria should prioritize taking complete COVID-19 vaccination in addition to the booster dose.

The medical doctors add, “We need to achieve herd immunity in Nigeria to limit the spread of the disease”, explaining that, herd immunity is a state in which a large proportion of a population is able to repel an infectious disease, thereby limiting the extent to which the disease can spread from person to person.

She further adds that herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population has become immune to an infection, whether through previous infections or vaccination, thereby reducing the likelihood of infection for individuals who lack immunity. Herd immunity can be conferred through natural immunity, previous exposure to the disease, or vaccination. An entire population does not need to be immune to attain herd immunity.

Rather, herd immunity can occur when the population density of persons who are susceptible to infection is sufficiently low so as to minimize the likelihood of an infected individual coming in contact with a susceptible individual.

She said the Lagos State Government has made it so easy by designating many primary health centers and about 450 mobile outlets in addition across the state for people to access vaccination either as first-timers or those for the second dose or the booster. She, therefore, urged those who are yet to get vaccinated to do so at any of the designated centers near them as they would need to protect themselves and the people around them. COVID-19 vaccines help our bodies develop immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19 without us having to get the illness.

Lending his voice, the Director of the National Orientation Agency, Lagos State, Waheed Ishola, told participants that the essence of the workshop was to bring media practitioners to scale up their knowledge on the COVAX vaccine mandate and hesitancy and to increase the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Ishola added that, “We found out that the majority of our people are thinking that COVID-19 is a done deal but it’s not from evidence across the world. On the contrary, coronavirus disease has come to stay. So, we need to protect ourselves by taking the vaccination as well as practicing those non-pharmaceutical interventions which are washing of hands regularly, covering the nose when we’re sneezing, keeping a safe distance, and using nose masks not only when we are out in public but also in an enclosed space because you don’t know who may have contracted the disease.”

Speaking to journalists, he said, “When the media practitioners write stories around coronavirus, people will begin to understand the importance of all of these COVID-19 vaccines; they will begin to accept the fact that those that have not taken the medication would see the need to take it, complete the dose as well take the booster. By doing these simple all important tasks, they are protecting themselves and family.”