Closure of worship grounds: Perspective of microbiology of indoor environments

Covid-19 pandemic is polarising and presenting a continuous dichotomy between the rulers and ruled over differing perceptions. Even though these differences apparently appear to be represented as two extremes but on a similar continuum, they pungently caused mixed reactions and heated debates among those who consider ingredients for physical gratifications as the most important and […]

Covid-19 pandemic is polarising and presenting a continuous dichotomy between the rulers and ruled over differing perceptions. Even though these differences apparently appear to be represented as two extremes but on a similar continuum, they pungently caused mixed reactions and heated debates among those who consider ingredients for physical gratifications as the most important and those who regard components of soul cleanliness as the best and preferable machinery for survival.

In other words, while government perceives it as a taboo allowing people to intermingle with one another in congregational prayers following the advice of medical personnel; religious leaders (laden with responsibilities of purifying, controlling, and nurturing souls for enhancement and aggrandisement of faith and religiosity in individuals) contradict the stance of government on this issue. This duality if fine-tuned, and geared towards collective transformation of society, it will result in not only harmonious and conflict-free community but also, a greatly developed and focused generation that can lead and extend quality traits to future generations. How to provide a safe-landing space for both parties is what this write-up tries to elucidate.

It has become a commonplace nowadays that most if not all states (with the exception of very few ones) including FCT that, people are acclimatising and adapting to lockdown orders by their respective state governments. This ensues as a strategic measure to ensuring containment of spread of the deadly virus or a virus-free environment totally. In order to guarantee that people abide by the rules, palliatives in the form of food items are distributed to localities and money is disbursed to individuals following a synergy between minister of telecommunications, Bankof Industry, and minister of finance for reducing the pains and increasing the gains of remaining indoor.

Unfortunately, due to the downfall of oil prices in the global market owing largely to the closure of seaports, airports and land borders; government cannot afford to feed the whole affected states in particular or the nation in general. Of relevance to this development is that, World Health Organisation (WHO) has proclaimed the fact that lockdown (which works in other regions and proves effective and efficient in the eradication or alleviation of the deadly virus in especially developed countries) cannot work in developing countries like Nigeria. Due to the promulgation by WHO and the situation on ground on dwindling oil price, government decided to lift the restriction of movement imposed upon individuals for some states including Kano State. In Kano State, there are two days allocated for this purpose: Mondays and Thursdays weekly.

However, if I may borrow wordings from my teacher who said, a closer look at the two opposing views of protecting a sick body and a sick soul, a case of a drowning man clutching a sword can easily be figured out. What government fears most is that, many hundreds of thousands of sick bodies can be cured but the traces of the infection can affect a single good mind that has potentials of curing millions of infected bodies a consequence of jeopardising the tranquility and peace enjoyed over time. Based on these two paradigms, a rather good approach is necessary to dare attempts to save the heaven by crossing the hell so that common Kano (the follower) can have a safe landing. To begin with, in this perspective of the study, mosques and churches or synagogues are a four-walled buildings and hence categorised as an indoor environment.

Many infectious diseases are associated with the quality of indoor air (Wasserman 1988, Al-Dagal & Fung, 1990, Menzies & Bourbeau 1997) due to a number of chemical, physical, or biological pollutants, and/or contaminants, introduced or even produced in the environment (Hunter et al. 1988, Rom et al. 1991, Loudon et al. 1996, Stone 2000). This is more complex whether the indoor environment is a product that needs climatisation, and distribution process before people exposure (Nunes, Martins, Altoe, Nishikawa, Leite, Aguiar, Fracalanzza (2005). Furthermore, indoor environments, moisture damage, and microbial growth have consequential adverse health effects (Lignell, 2008). Aerosols (liquid or solid particles) ranging from 0.0001 to 100µm suspend in the air (Georgakopoulos Despres, Froehlich-Nowoisky et al., 2009). Bio-aerosols consist of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses) (Heikkienen Hjelmroos-Koski, Haggblom, Macher, 2005). Bio-aerosols composition depends on the source, aerosolisation mechanism and environmental conditions prevailing in the site (Pillai, & Ricke, 2002).

Recommendations

1. Since some markets are allowed to open, government can order people to perform congregational prayers outside the four-walled mosques, churches or synagogue
2. This should only apply to those mosques, churches or synagogues that have enough space outside the four-walled buildings
3. Suggestions and recommendations particularly bordering on hand washing, social distancing, wearing face masks, avoiding handshakes, coming along with individual carpets, etc. given by NCDC, WHO and other health professionals should be strictly adhered to
4. Government should sensitise the public about contracting the disease in closed or indoor environments than can the open spaces.

 

Murtala Ismail Adakawa, University Library, Bayero University, Kano.