Oluwatosin Akinsanmi
Calls have been made to Nigerians to obey measures to protect themselves from contacting COVID-19 even as some have recovered from the virus in Lagos state.
In an exclusive chat, Health Practitioner, Ayodeji Amos Oladimeji, who is the founder of “Nigeria Health Tips Initiative” on http://www.nghealthtips.com, advised Nigerians to be proactive in the prevention of the coronavirus.
He said, “Coronavirus, coded as COVID-19, is an acute, sometimes severe respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus SARS-CoV2. COVID-19 is one of the enveloped RNA viruses that cause respiratory illnesses of varying severity from the common cold to fatal pneumonia.
“COVID-19 was first reported in late 2019 in Wuhan, China and has since spread extensively in China and the whole world. The world has not recovered from its impact until now. Nigeria has recorded over 170 cases as of today.
“Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and humans. They are a large family of viruses that causes illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases.
“There is no treatment for COVID-19 yet. What we have is absolutely supportive care. No vaccine, antiviral drug, or other specific treatment is available. Prevention remains the best option.”
Reacting to reports that 11 people had recovered from the virus in Lagos and discharged, Seraph Ayodeji opined that if adequate preventive measures were not taken, the recovered patients might still contract the virus again.
He explained, “Let me say that they were able to recover because their immune system was able to fight it and overcame. However, based on the question asked, it is possible for an individual who has been cleared to be infected the second time
“There has been a report of a woman in Japan who after being cleared tested positive for SARS and there was also another man also from Japan who after getting all clearance tested positive again for COVID-19. What I see there is that people who are being invited didn’t get immunity after recovering. It’s such a novel virus.
“So, now, maybe after a vaccine has been gotten, it will help people to build immunity against the virus. I hope so, I do really hope.”
Ayodeji said the virus could be widely spread through contact with infected person’s body fluids when sneezing and coughing and advised people on the need to prevent the disease in line with the World Health Organisation’s recommendations of maintaining personal hygiene, keeping social distance and covering of the mouth and nose while coughing and sneezing.
He said, “Person-to-person spread occurs through contact with infected secretions, mainly via contact with large respiratory droplets. It could also occur via contact with a surface contaminated by respiratory droplets.
“Prevention they say is better than a cure. Not only is it better, but it is also cheaper and more accessible than a cure. Knowing full well that COVID-19 has no cure, prevention is key. And to achieve this, the World Health Organisation and other bodies like the Center for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended the following:
“Maintain a high level of personal and environmental/community hygiene. Regular hand-washing under running water (as the case in Nigeria where we have fewer people with access to running water, it is advised that people improvise). Covering the mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing. Thoroughly cooking of eggs, meat and other food items. Maintain social distancing (avoid close contact especially with anyone showing symptoms).”
Ayodeji advised that no one needed to wait until they were infected before taking adequate measures.
“I have seen videos of how some people inside a train had to vacate their seats because of other passengers who were coughing profusely,” he noted.
On the prevailing symptoms of the virus, Seraph Ayodeji disclosed that there was a thin line between the normal flu and the dreaded virus, pointing out that the symptoms manifested on time in people with underlying illness.
“People with COVID-19 may have few to no symptoms, although some become severely ill and die. Symptoms can include fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath. Those with more severe disease may have lymphopenia and chest imaging findings consistent with pneumonia,” he explained.
“Though, the kind of cough one should suspect is a dry cough, how do you know if it is a dry cough or wet cough? The best thing is to humbly take your leave especially when you are not sure of the person’s medical history,” Ayodeji advised.
“Prevention is always better and cheaper than cure. If you cough today and I leave you because I don’t want to get an infection, I will apologise to you later,” he added.
Also reacting to the pronouncement of the United States of America’s President, Donald Trump on the use of chloroquine drug to combat the virus, Seraph Ayodeji acceded that there might be a possibility of the drug being effective when combined with other anti-viral drugs
“Based on the progress and efforts made by experts,
Chloroquine with other anti-viral drugs “might” help in salvaging the
matter but then, President Donald Trump doesn’t have the authority to declare
such, though he did it was wrong.”
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