Having endured an unusual year, many Nigerians are travelling to end 2020 in celebrations. While this could result in surge in the number of new cases — a dangerous scenario that threatens the gains made so far in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Air Peace is one of the few airlines taking passengers from Lagos to Owerri. But from Sunday 20th to Thursday 24 December, a prospective traveller to Owerri will not be able to be on any of the thrice daily flights because the tickets are already sold out.
The situation is the same for Arik airline which has also sold out all its seats for the Lagos – Owerri route from December 18 till December 27. For a flight that usually costs around NGN30,000, travellers are paying up to N100,000 while those that cannot afford to fly are making the trip via road.
This is not peculiar to Owerri as the yuletide season has witnessed a surge in the number of travellers thus giving airlines the confidence to significantly increase the cost of their tickets yet being rest assured that they would still record sales.
This trend is in sharp contrast to the advisory given by the Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC) regarding the Christmas and New Year festivities in various parts of Nigeria in the light of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
On November 30, the center issued an advisory on how citizens can prevent COVID-19 during the holidays. NCDC revealed that in Nigeria, most of the confirmed cases and deaths have been in urban/semi-urban cities and towns, and the risk of spread remains.
“The COVID-19 virus does not spread on its own, it spreads when people move around. This means that by traveling across countries and cities, there is a higher risk of transmission, especially to rural areas where the existing health infrastructure is already weak,” NCDC stated.
NCDC urged Nigerians to limit all non-essential domestic and international travel.
“This is especially important for intending travellers from countries recording a high number of COVID-19 cases,” the center stated.
Few are listening
While the NCDC continues to urge citizens to refrain from travelling for Christmas and New Year festivities, there are indications that citizens continue to travel across the country, shunning health authorities’ advice.
Mathew had been away from his wife and four children who are staying in Southern Kaduna since the pandemic got him stuck with his place of work in Ibadan. Since he could not go on holiday as a result of the pandemic, he hinged his hope of reuniting with his family on the long vacation he would get in December, one that extends to January 2021.
“As a family we have been through a lot this year and the best way for us to end it is to be together and celebrate the gift of life we still have in addition to other blessings we’ve received. There is no way I’m refusing a chance to be with my family,” he told healthnews.ng at the Iwo road intercity motor park in Ibadan.
Several other Nigerians agree with Micheal and are choosing to travel in spite of the government’s warnings and threats posed to their lives and that of their loved ones.
Aside from travellers, organisers of concerts and live events including concerts are also considering the holiday period as an opportunity to recoup some of revenues lost to the pandemic.
This trend has been of concern to the NCDC. After weeks of steady reduction in the number of confirmed cases, the number of cases are increasing and isolation centers are reportedly getting filled up again. With Christmas and New Year still several days away, health workers are bracing for any outcomes across the country.
The center is also aggressively pushing messaging on various platforms to reach people with information regarding how to stay safe during the pandemic. It is also a concern that extends beyond Nigeria but affects other African countries thus putting regional and continent-wide institutions including the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on alert at the edge.
Addressing a recently held press conference, Dr. John Nkengasong, Director of the Africa CDC was worried that the gains made on the continent regarding the control of the pandemic are being threatened.
“My greatest concern and fear is that the gains we’ve worked so hard to achieve may be eroded significantly if we relent [in] our public health and social measures. We need to go back to the basics – washing hands, keeping our distance, and most importantly, wearing masks,” Nkengasong said.
According to the regional director for the WHO in the African region, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the Christmas period could result in a surge in the number of COVID-19, not just across Nigeria but across the African continent.
“We are now nearing the time of year when people travel to spend their holidays together. These end-of-year get-togethers are a key part of African life, but they can increase the risk of Covid-19 transmission. Greater mobility and large gatherings can lead to new clusters of cases in parts of Africa that might previously have been spared,” Dr Moeti said.
What to do
Earlier this week, the Prime Minister of eSwatini became the first world leader to die while in power after testing positive for COVID-19. He was 52 years old when he died while receiving treatment in South Africa. His death is serving as a major warning across the continent (and beyond) that it is not only the aged that are dying of COVID-19. This has led to some reawakening among several individuals who were previously ignoring measures.
In Nigeria, the NCDC is not resting on its oars. According to its official guidelines for the pandemic, citizens should limit festivities to members of your immediate household. While remaining physically distanced, it urged Nigerians to remain socially connected with friends and loved ones using mobile or video conferencing technology.
NCDC also urged religious organisations to hold virtual services and prayer sessions to limit mass congregation.
“Limit person-to-person contact and physical movement using electronic money transfers systems. Always wear a face mask that covers your nose and mouth when in public settings, such as religious centres and market places. Maintain physical distance of at least 2 metres from others in public settings. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer when hands are not visibly dirty and running water is not readily available,” NCDC recommended.
It also enjoined Nigerians to avoid direct contact with people such as hugging and handshaking, Cover the mouth and nose properly with a tissue paper, or elbow when sneezing and/or coughing.
“Dispose of the tissue properly immediately after use and wash your hands; Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of a respiratory illness; Stay at home if you feel unwell and call your state helpline. Do not mingle with others if you have symptoms such as fever, cough or sudden loss of sense of taste or smell. Public settings including religious settings, businesses, markets should ensure adherence to public health and safety measures,” the center said.
For vulnerable groups (people 60 and above and/or people with pre-existing medical conditions should avoid non-essential outings and visitors.
For vulnerable groups, NCDC said people 60 and above and/or people with pre-existing medical conditions should avoid non-essential outings and visitors.
“Where possible, have a friend or family member bring you supplies,” the center said in a statement.
This story is part of the COVID19Truths project supported by Christian AID Nigeria