This is happening as we
have reverted to the old-normal: jammed public spaces and disdain for all Coro
protocols. The various state organs are alarmed and isolation centers, already
closed due to dwindling cases have been placed on red-alert. People are also
being advised against Christmas carols, festivities and travels, since Coro is
always on duty and does not go on holidays.
Kano State University has suspended 2019/20 academic activities while
Kaduna has closed all schools as a first step in the threatened second-wave lockdown.
However, as we are girding our loin-clothes for the second wave, I dare to ask;
is the first wave over? The record figure of 796 on 11/12/20 came in from just
16 states and as at that day, we have tested only 845458 samples in a
population of 206m. While countries are testing up to 50000 per million,
Nigeria has just managed to do a mere 3000. Furthermore, we concentrate on
patients with symptoms, thus ignoring asymptomatic cases, which constitute
about 60% of the victims. My argument is that we are not even in a position to
assess the first wave and as such cannot be talking of the second wave. The
states just stopped testing and/or reporting their results. With such poor
test-statistics, we cannot determine whether we are in the first, second or
third wave. We have to drink tea before we graduate to ‘over-tea’. Surely, if
we are not sure of the status of the first wave, we cannot be talking of second
wave. One thing is however; certain. Coro is real and it is still on rampage.
But only the truth (accurate Coro statistics) can set us free.( John 8:32)
Meanwhile, nothing is certain about the
vaccine programme in Nigeria. The first statement on vaccine came from
Okonjo-Iwealla, who assured that we would get the vaccines from ‘end of
January’. As I was wondering when she became our Minister of Health or DG of
NCDC, Prof Ehanire announced that we would ‘soon’ take delivery of 20m
doses. He did not indicate how soon this
‘soon’ would be and was not emphatic about the brand of vaccines and this is as
Egypt has already taken delivery of its first batch of Chinese Vaccines, to be
distributed free to its citizens.
Developments on the Coro war front across the globe are not cheery either. Fatalities in the US, are now 301430(15/12/20). All states in the US have received doses of the vaccine but Trump appears to be running away from jabbing, which Sandra Lindsay became the first vaccine recipient
Sandra being
jabbed
while senators Sherrod Brown and Dan Sullivan almost exchanged blows
over face masks the other day. Germany has commenced ‘hard’
national lockdown(16/12/20) after 598 fatalities on 11/12/20. All non-essential shops, services and schools have closed
down until January 10, and Christmas Day gatherings are reduced to a maximum of
five from two different households.
Czech Republic has shut down after few weeks of opening up while
Japanese and South Korean soldiers have been drafted into the WAC with S-Korea in its 3rd wave as cases
jumped from hundreds to thousands and Japan having the highest number of severe
cases( 599 on 14/12/20). Netherlands has just imposed the ‘strictest’
lockdown with group gathering limited to 3; South Africa has tightened its
restrictions while a new variant of Coro has been discovered in London. It is likely to be an unusual Christmas!
Singapore becomes the first Asian country to go for Pfizer Vaccine, with plans
for enough quantity before the 3rd
quarter of 2021. Ambrose Eswatini (Swaziland) PM becomes the first seating head of government to
succumb to Coro just as Charlie Pride, the first African-American to be listed
in American Music Hall of fame has
joined the fatality list at 86 while President Tebboun of Algeria celebrated his first year in
office in absentia as he was undertaking Coro treatment in Germany .
547 pregnancies were recorded
among secondary school girls in Borgou area of Benin Republic in
2019-20session as against 431 last year
( you see, they keep records); Kenya is planning to open all schools in January
2021 and research has shown that Covid-19 can cause or worsen erectile
dysfunction due to vascular effects, psychological impact and overall health
deterioration. However, the old primary school adage that one man’s meat is
another man’s poison, has just been validated in Nigeria where 12 banks earned
N134bn from e-payments in the first 9 months of 2020 because of increased
online activities! That will not prevent them from sacking more staff and
indulging in other penny-pinching activities! However, it is not all bad news
as a 104 year old Spanish was released from Hospital after a two-week treatment
for Coro, surpassing the record of WW2 veteran, major Lee Wooten, who discharged from Madison hospital two few days
to his 104th birthday.
Abu Dhabi has also
developed an Coro-compliant ‘safe-bubble’ that enables them to host some
sporting events in these unusual times.
In my last outing(10/12/20), I reported how some Nigerians were arrested in a RCCG church in Turkey for violating Coro protocols. On 13/12/20, a Omah-Lay et al were arrested in Uganda for breaking Coro protocols in a country that had foreclosed all music concerts, closed down bars, banned fans at all sporting events, and reduced the numbers of people who could attend church services. They were eventually handcuffed and arraigned for “ acts that are likely to cause the spread of infectious disease, Covid-19’. Well, Uganda is NOT Nigeria; we did not handcuff Naira Marley and Funke Akindele who also flouted the protocols as well as other higher-ups who even flew around during the era of Triple Locks.
We are exporting
our indiscipline and that is not good for our already devalued image. However,
their release has been secured through diplomatic manoeuvres. Omah-Lay has also
become the most streamed Nigerian musician ( courtesy of his track, Godly)in
the past 2 weeks. Maybe, there is advantage in adversity! But this is not a Nigeria-only affair. Aston Villa’s Jack
Grealish has just been banned for driving for 9 months and fined£83000 from crashing his his high-powered
£80,000 Range Rover during the first-wave lockdown. Why was he driving during
the lockdown? Because he is a star!
Last week, I argued that
probably, the devil handed over a twisted the mandate Oga-Coro. However, there are also some antidotes to the
devil-Coro coalition, assurances given
to all of going through the devastating
Coro-storm and even, all those under assorted distress: ‘be calm and know that I am Lord;
supreme over nations, supreme over all the earth’( Ps 46;10) and ‘though we
walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve our lives; you stretch out your hand
against the wrath of our enemies; your right hand delivers us( Ps 138:7). These
are irrefutable covenants but, before then, we MUST do what He has given us the
knowledge( what we know) and the wisdom( how to optimize what we know) to do.
For now, it is to AVOID touching MEN( Mouth, Ear & Nose) and
instead, to follow WOMEN( Wash our hands, Obey social distancing, Mask up,
Exercise & eat well, No unnecessary travels).
On the roots of Coro, some mischievous folks have seen the hands of the daughters of Eve in the whole matter since it closed bars, clubs, and football, all of which ensured that men stayed at home!
- Ik Muo, PhD. Dept of
Business Administration, OOU, Ago-Iwoye. 08033026625
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Great job sir. One needs not look elsewhere for updates on Coro, locally and internationally.
ReplyDeleteSincerely speaking! You are one of a kind Sir 👍
ReplyDeleteYou did a fantastic job throughout the year 👏👏👏👏