COVID-19: A Second national lockdown is needless!

The second wave of COVID-19 exacerbated by winter had sent panic across many parts of the world. Governments are taking steps to stem the rising tide of the pandemic with a variety of drastic measures, which include total or, partial lockdowns, the mandatory wearing of masks and other safety protocols. This is coming along with […]

The second wave of COVID-19 exacerbated by winter had sent panic across many parts of the world. Governments are taking steps to stem the rising tide of the pandemic with a variety of drastic measures, which include total or, partial lockdowns, the mandatory wearing of masks and other safety protocols. This is coming along with vaccinations.

The first wave of the pandemic had dealt a fatal blow on livelihood, the global economy and personal relationships. The social and economic consequences of the pandemic are catastrophic. It almost shut down the global economy with many losing their jobs and businesses.

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With the successful trials and production of vaccines by major pharmaceutical companies, the world had found reasons to heave a sigh of relief.

Developing economies, especially Africa are likely to face a huge task accessing the vaccines at this stage due partially to global hegemonic tendencies and power play.

According to data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) the total number of confirmed cases is put at 77,933, with 67,784 discharged and 1,218 deaths.

The Presidential Task Force, which directs and coordinates action against COVID-19 is already hinting at a possible shutdown of the country if the numbers continue to rise.

Realistically, both states and federal authorities should focus on ways to prevent the spread rather than opting for a major lockdown.

Many state governments have indicated the likelihood of an impending lockdown. Last week, the Kaduna State governor warned of a possible total lockdown and ordered the immediate closure of schools, clubs and bars. His Lagos State counterpart had similarly hinted at same measures and placed restrictions on some public gatherings including mosques and churches.

The social and economic implications of a possible second lockdown are enormous, and, could potentially have a devastating effect on our fragile economy. Nigeria at the moment is in the middle of a recession, the second a little under five years. Most businesses are struggling amidst the economic recession and the rising cost of materials. Another lockdown could swiftly send them out of the business. Nigeria must look within and establish a mechanism, or develop an elaborate framework that could salvage the situation, rather than shutting the country. The idea of a national shutdown is counterproductive, it will bequeath nothing but hardship.

Another consequence of a second national lockdown is that it could adversely affect education. Most schools, especially in Northern Nigeria, were shut down as a result of deteriorating security, and constant threats of terrorists. Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna and Kano, were among states that closed down their schools either due to rise in COVID-19 cases or security threats.

Last week’s  abductions of schoolboys at the Government Science Secondary School Kankara, in Katsina State had a disruptive effect on the psyche  of both students and parents in the region, as the fear of attacks and abductions remains prevalent in their minds.

It would take a far longer time and serious counselling to reset their psyche and restore them to normalcy.

Therefore, shutting schools as a result of  lockdown could potentially damage whatever remains of their strong will in the pursuit  of education. State governments should rethink the knotty idea of a second lockdown and even resist the idea should the federal government mull it.

The most logical thing is to get more testing centres, keep records of cases and infected persons and isolate them. The second phase should be distribution and administering of the vaccine.

Instead of a second major lockdown, the government should aggressively engage in awareness campaign and ensure the enforcement of the preventive protocol of the NCDC   — the mandatory wearing of masks, social distancing and regular washing of hands.

With Christmas around the corner, clerics should take centre stage in the campaign both on and off the pulpit. Major events in the yuletide should highly be regulated while people should be advised against undertaking unnecessary travels.

Governments should work with community and religious leaders to ensure strict compliance rather than a lockdown, which usually has its downside and devastating effect — killing the economy, and probably killing individuals who couldn’t access hospitals when ill.

Thankfully, schools are on break, but, on resumption, the safest way to go is to enforce a stringent no- mask, no entry policy for students. Each student must be made to carry his/her hand sanitisers, this wouldn’t be too difficult to adopt, at least, it seems a fair deal than a national lockdown.

The first national lockdown was nothing but traumatic, as individuals and businesses continue to count loses, and was in part responsible for the economic recession.

It should be remembered that palliatives, provided by both federal and state governments, as well as corporate bodies never reached the targeted persons. This we saw during the #EndSARS protests, which led to massive looting of some warehouses.

The discovery of a large amount of food items meant for distribution to cushion the effect of the pandemic signifies one thing — should there be a second lockdown, the same scenario could play out with a likely more serious effect.

The most honourable thing President Buhari’s advisers should do is, counsel him to resist the temptation of imposing on innocent Nigeria another needless lockdown. Clearly, as it were, Nigeria cannot afford or bear its adverse consequences. We must not shut our country because Europe did, the templates are different, the scenario and complexities of Nigeria’s reality are equally not the same. The government as a matter of policy should save the citizens another agony of lockdowns, rather, they should  focus on critical areas of keeping the economy running and the citizens secured as we exit one of the most dangerous years, in the history of humanity.

Abdullahi D. Mohammed wrote this piece from Kano ([email protected])