COVID-19: LASU lecturers urge Nigerians to adhere to safety precautions

Some lecturers at the Lagos State University (LASU), have urged Nigerians to adhere to safety precautions in order to avoid contracting the novel coronavirus.

The lecturers made the call on Tuesday in Lagos at the virtual training series lecture themed, “Current Knowledge and Funding Opportunities,” organised by the university for workers.

They also urged the Federal Government to review the lockdown imposed on some states in the country with a view to lifting it as it appeared not to be curtailing the spread of the virus as expected.

Dr Adeyinka Adeniran of Department of Community Health and Primary Health Care, LASU College of Medicine (LASUCOM), urged Nigerians to protect themselves as the virus was already spreading at community levels.

Adeniran said that 45 per cent of infected persons had no travel history which meant the coronavirus now existed in the communities.

Also speaking, Dr Bola Oyefolu, Medical Microbiologist/Virologist at LASUCOM urged Nigerians to stay safe, be responsible, and live healthy because coronavirus was real.

“There is a high chance of presence of the three circulating strains of the causative agent of COVID-19 in Nigeria.

“This is, going by its importation into the country through index case from Italy, being Type C; travellers from the U.S. being Type B and some Chinese in the country tested positive, being Type A.

“Sadly in Nigeria, the three strains of the virus are most likely circulating, which portends for the possibility of emerging new strain because of the mutating virus,” Oyefolu said.

Prof. Wahab Elias, Professor of Sociology and Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, said that countries with high population, cultural diversity and poverty rate like Nigeria would bear greater social, political, economic and spatial consequences of COVID -19.

“Government must review the issue of lockdown as it is clearly not achieving the desired result.

“Instead, they should consider implementing infection prevention control evidence-based measures, including social distancing, hand washing and the wearing of face masks,” Elias said.

He urged the government to use influential private individuals to identify the vulnerable in the communities since they could help share the palliatives equally.

Elias called for more testing centres, more public awareness, and dialogue between employers and workers unions in order to mitigate the spread and impact of the pandemic on Nigerians.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Olarenwaju Fagbohun (SAN), Vice Chancellor of LASU urged workers to take full advantage of the virtual lectures to deepen their knowledge in different fields.