•Don’t create reasons for another lockdown, RTEAN tells drivers, conductors •Count cost before going out –NBA
As the partial lifting of the four-week lockdown in Lagos and Abuja ordered by the Federal Government begins today, the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) has advised Nigerians against risky behaviours or risk another round of shutdowns, if the number of cases continues to rise.
Chairman of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) chapter, Dr. Lanre Olosunde, gave the advice yesterday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin.
Olosunde lamented that the partial lifting of lockdown was not the best step at the moment. He pointed out that the fear of COVID-19 should rather drive Nigerians to behave responsibly and follow laid down rules to ensure the prevention of spread and not panic.
“Everyone should also be prepared for another round of possible lockdowns, if cases continue to increase exponentially,” he advised.
President Muhammadu Buhari, in a nationwide broadcast last week, announced a gradual easing of the COVID-19 lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and Lagos and Ogun states, from May 4.
The new measures included a nationwide night-time curfew, mandatory wearing of face masks and a ban on “non-essential” travel between different regions.
However, the ARD chairman said: “I think it is not the best choice at this time when we are really seeing the evidence of active community spread of COVID-19.
“This is coupled with the fact that our testing capabilities are still far below what is required.
“I sincerely pray we won’t get to the number of the deaths recorded in Italy or that of United States,” he said.
Olosunde, therefore, advised Nigerians to follow the advice of medical experts on prevention of COVID-19.
He said those who were elderly or those at any age who have underlying chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), HIV and cancer, among others, need to take extra precautions and stay at home because they were most vulnerable to this disease.
He said people should beware that COVID-19 was deadly, adding that we have seen what it has done to people in other climes, and the fear of COVID-19 should drive all residents to behave responsibly.
Against the backdrop of the lockdown, the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has urged its members to adhere to the Lagos State government’s new transport guidelines to forestall further spread of COVID-19.
