Pandemic laxities

 Editorial

Nothing, in modern history, has had the global impact of Coronavirus: more than a million people infected; and about 95, 000 dead worldwide.   But even these figures cover only those tested according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

The globe is almost on a pause button, as countries adopt various strategies to halt the spread of the virus. Economies are crumbling. Conventional and social media have, since January, focused on reporting the tragedy, on a country-by-country basis, driving not a few into panic.

Any person with a cell phone, radio, newspapers and television, gets enough information about the infection and its implications.

Which is why it is disappointing that a clinical professor at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) earned suspension for allegedly concealing the true status of a COVID-19 patient that eventually died; and hush-hush released the body, to the family, for rushed burial, despite specific COVID-19 medical advisory to the contrary.

This professor not only betrayed his training as a medical professional, he also came short of his Hippocratic Oath.  Besides, he spurned — wilfully and deliberately, it would appear — the clinical directives from both WHO and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

We commend the University for suspending him as a deterrent to others. They should equally investigate thoroughly the events and mete out the appropriate punishment.

Given its potency, the dead, from the virus, are treated with great caution, to curtail its spread, and protect the living. Even families who lost loved ones across the world are denied the chance of burying or even group-mourning the dead, just so humanity can be safer.

Countries like the USA, Italy and France have all recorded thousands of deaths and none of the families took the corpses for burial. The advice is for people to mourn in silence and save themselves, and others, from the dangers of the virus.

That is why it is even more surprising that a professor, with all his education and exposure, cannot live above the cultural fatalism that rules the roost, among the not-so-educated and not-so-exposed, who make no distinction between religion (driven by faith) and science (driven by facts).

Many — if not most — people in this country have lived in denial over the outbreak of Coronavirus.  Some even aver, given the pandemic’s more serious trail of destruction and dislocation in Europe and the United States, with their much better medical facilities, that COVID-19 is no Blackman’s disease.

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But that is a myth, given the American fatality figures, which shows two, out of every five deaths, are African-Americans.  Seven deaths, as at April 9,  have been recorded here too,  thus pooh-poohing the dangerous myth, that Africans are somewhat immune to COVID-19, with arguments that the hot tropical weather offers near-complete immunity.

The dangerous delusion, powered by blind fatalism, explains why many Nigerians have defied about all government COVID-19 instructions: social distancing, stay-at-home order, regular hand washing, with soap and running water, or with alcohol-based hand sanitizers, self-isolation for those feared infected and the ultimate quarantine for treatment.  Given the state of healthcare facilities in the country, it would be tragic if the government does not take drastic actions to curtail such behaviours .

That is why we are also appalled at those who mass on the express way to exercise, as reported at Gbagada, Ajegunle and Agric Bus Stop area, in Ikorodu, Lagos State, despite proven facts that crowd activity spreads the virus perhaps faster than any other way.

It is even more disappointing that the Police found, among the Gbagada crowd, the supposedly educated and informed, putting their lives in possible COVID-19 peril.

That after umpteenth warnings, the Police and other security agencies still had to raid “keep-fit” expressway locations for arrests, is ample evidence of such fatalism-driven stubbornness.

It is good that no less than 34 of those have been convicted to serve 14 days of forced isolation, tests for possible COVID-19 infection, followed by 30 days community service.  The government should not flag on such crackdowns to rein in such recklessness, which puts many others at risk.

Still, what is in superstition and stigma, that a clinical professor would balk at his oath and shun his exposure, to buck strict pandemic health regulations?  What is in stigma and superstition that tend to overpower knowledge, even among the knowledgable?

Could it be media propelled fear, driven by sensational reportage, that the media stands fairly accused of, especially in times of high stress?

The media must display extra caution, in the reportage of the pandemic.  It should report in ways that folks do not suffer double jeopardy: contracting the virus and earning social stigma, even after being nursed back to health.   Information must be given with professional ethics. The media must eschew sensationalism, so as not to propagate fear.