ColumnsNigeriaOpinionIs Anambra State Government Right in Relaxing the Lockdown?

Anambra state government just announced its decision to relax the lockdown and stay at home order, which has been on for over four weeks. Within these weeks, Anambra recorded only one case of COVID-19 positive, tens of contacts were also traced to the index case. Nonetheless, last week the index case was released after testing negative to coronavirus twice.

In his address four days ago, the governor of Anambra state Chief Willie Obiano had said that samples of about 36 people who had direct contact with the index case have been submitted to the NCDC. Up till this moment, it is not clear if all the results of the contact persons to Anambra’s index case have returned and confirmed negative. With the lockdown relaxed in Anambra a major commercial hub in Nigeria, many businessmen, and women who have not had access to the market for weeks now, are happy because at least life has finally returned to normal.

But has life returned to normal? And can life ever return to normal as we knew it even after this deadly virus is defeated? Well, that is certainly too difficult a question to answer considering that the world has not gone this route before and there is neither enough information nor experience to guide our response or predict what next. However, is it correct for Anambra state to have relaxed the lockdown in the state, at this time?

Many people are still in doubt if the virus is real and they assume that government is making up stories as a decoy to siphon public money and other funds donated to the government. Particularly in Anambra, most people are skeptical and suspicious of the government. There are distrust and Anambra people generally do not just believe that the government is actually fighting any virus. In fact, the discharge of Anambra index case reinforced those distrusts especially with regards to the man’s conduct upon arrival in his village and his insistence that he had no COVID-19, he however affirmed that what he had was malaria. This he said while addressing tens of people in his village. A combination of this mistrust among other issues explains why many people are not paying heed to medical advice as expounded by NCDC and WHO for containing coronavirus. It is for similar reason that many people are not complying with the lockdown order. People simply do not believe what the government is saying and it is a major problem that could be detrimental in any case of outbreak.

COVID-19 is a highly contagious and deadly virus that literally harvests death upon contraction. To put this into perspective, only about one month ago, the US, UK, Spain among others, have just a few thousands of confirmed cases and fewer deaths. But today, US has over fifty thousand casualties, while UK and Spain have recorded over twenty thousand confirmed deaths each. This ought to serve as a lesson to both government and citizens.  Worst still, people can have the virus but not show any symptom even though at that stage, the carrier still transmits the virus, without knowing.  As a result, the disease spreads swiftly once it gets a foothold within any community.

In Anambra state, not up to 100 people have been tested for COVID-19 and the state has a population of more than 5 million people. One foremost technique to ease lockdown is by rapid and effective testing to make sure that those who test positive are immediately isolated from the community and treated until they recover. This was done in South Korea and in Wuhan the birthplace of the virus. As it is now, it is unclear if there are any more case(s) of COVID-19 in Anambra with symptom or asymptomatic.

Nobody is sure if there are people with COVID-19 who are in their homes. More so, considering the commercial nature of Anambra state and the fact that many Anambra people live in Lagos, Abuja, Kano among others, where there is ongoing community transmission, relaxation of lockdown is worrisome, to put it mildly. Although Anambra borders are closed, nevertheless the state’s index case came in from Lagos, while the border was closed. This generally creates serious uncertainty as the possibility of an outbreak is not ruled out.  Like the index case, many people have been coming in and going out of Anambra despite the border closure and this means that Anambra is at risk of COVID-19 community transmission.

Just about three days ago, Anambra state commissioner for transportation and his team intercepted a bus with some passengers bound to Lagos from Anambra. Reports abound that with the right monetary inducement, the security agents manning the borders will allow you to leave the state or come in. I mean this is a common practice among security agents in Nigeria. The implication however is that unless this corrupt practice is checked it might spell disaster given Anambra decision to relax the lockdown within the state by opening Churches and markets. Relaxing the lock down looks seems the government is abdicating its responsibility as the chief security officer of the state. For sure, our borders are closed only on paper, not in reality and therefore there is every possibility that people are coming in from all over the place and the COVID-19 status of these people are not known.

It is vital that Anambra state government takes caution and consolidate on its gains in the fight against COVID-19, so far. If the government must have Anambra lockdown relaxed, then there must also be a corresponding testing regime in place. The government may also ease the lockdown gradually but strategically in the cause of rapid testing. In addition, Anambra borders must be closed to reduce chances of transmission from people coming in from places where community transmission is prevalent. Introduction of compulsory use of face mask by the government is good though difficult to enforce. But opening up Anambra for business and normal life at a time community transmission is nearing peak in some Nigerian cities, is unsafe.

Once Onitsha main market opens, people will travel from everywhere in Nigeria to come and buy goods. Same goes for Nnewi, where people come from all across Nigeria to buy motorcycle parts and other automotive products. A major de-motivation for businessmen and women who normally comes to Anambra to buy goods which they sale in their city of residence across Nigeria, is that the markets are closed.

Onitsha Main Market which is the largest in West Africa will eventually reopen. People will find their way back despite the border closure, and if the deadly virus is reported in Onitsha, for instance, considering its enormous size and patronage, serious consequences might unfold in the absence of social distancing. Even contact tracing will be near impossible. This also reasonably applies to Churches. Consequently, the government of Anambra state must take caution and reevaluate its decision to reopen Anambra. Residents of Anambra state must take every medical precautionary measure for COVID-19 prevention more seriously in their own very best interest.

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