…As NMA says there is trouble if the virus is airborne
Chairperson, Oyo State COVID-19 Decontamination and Containment Team, Prof. (Mrs.) Olanike Adeyemo,has said the unpredictability nature of the coronavirus is the most dangerous thing about the virus.
Prof. Adeyemo, who is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnership), University of Ibadan,Ibadan ,stated this while speaking with The Guardian in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital,on the possibility of coronavirus being airborne.
It would be recalled that the Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC),Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu had a couple of days ago said the latest evidence suggested that virus might be airborne.
In her reaction, Adeyemo, who is a professor of Epidemiology and Toxicology, Food Safety and Global Public Health,said:”That coronavirus is airborne has been long established, hence the required measures of physical distancing, wearing of face masks and hand hygiene to prevent the spread of to the virus.
“The most dangerous thing about coronavirus is the unpredictability in the way it behaves in each person’s body. Whereas an older and/or “vulnerable” person will be infected, come down with Covid-19 and be asymptomatic or be sick and recover, a young person will die. It is therefore important for everyone to take Covid-19 seriously and take personal responsibility for their safety. Be responsible enough to wear facemask and take other precautions as highlighted by World Health Organization (WHO) and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Most importantly, if you do not have a major business to transact, stay at home”.
On his part, the Oyo State Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Akin Sodipo, said there is trouble if the virus is airborne.
Dr. Sodipo said:”The issue is so simple. The Chairman said it might be transmitted. That means there is possiblity of it being transmitted. It’s not being confirmed yet. This virus is novel. Everybody is still looking at things about it. But there is that high possibility that it could be airborne. Intially, we said it’s droplet,we said it was in surfaces. It might be airborne. In case it is, that is why the caution comes in. If it is, that makes it mandatory if only we can listen to what government has been saying. Keep a safe distance; that is if it is droplet. But if it is airborne, whether you keep one metre or five-metre distance, it is still in the air. That comes up the idea of avoiding the gathering of too many people because the thing is in the air. Avoid gathering of many people where there are air-conditioners, because people are circulating the same air ,everybody is breathing the same air. We don’t use the air-conditioners anymore. You allow the breeze to blow. The use of face mask is compulsory to save yourself and to prevent infecting other people. Firstly, selfishly save yourself from catching this thing. If it is actually in the air, then there is trouble. Whether you are being here or out of here for many hours, I’m still liable to having it. That means I have to use my face mask always. But we normally say if you are alone, the chances of airborne is there but it is low. Because you can’t wear face mask for 24 hours. You lower guard. As soon as there is anybody coming in, in public places, public vehicles, tricycles,motorcycles,banks and churches, you put on the face mask. So we need to protect ourselves from airborne of it. You don’t lose the sight of surface contact by washing your hands with soup on running water. Use of hand sanitizer. Those are paramount thing that we should not forget. Once you keep to that -face mask, hand sanitizer, washing of hands, keep a safe distance – I think we should be home and dry”