COVID-19 Is Demoralizing Nigerians -By Adigun Tosin

The existence of Coronavirus has caused a lot of worry, stress, agony, sadness and pain to the people, abnormality is now viewed as normal in the society, making life miserable for people, also those in Isolation centres are in great pains, hoping to recover sooner, as the situation is demoralizing the people from believing the cure will be found sooner or later.
This is not the time to relax and adapt to the current situation which has brought calamities nationwide.

Things are not going smoothly from the onset the virus surfaced, and it’s becoming rough and tough for the people to adjust completely, instead of decreasing in numbers, the figures keeps soaring and causing panic among the people.

The rising figures are beyond control, as daily work activities has been on shift schedule to avoid crowd in public places and offices as part of contact precautions. This is the sixth month since the discovery of the virus, yet, the search for cure still continues, anxiety now gripping the world, people are panicking, disheartened and eager to find out from scientist to know how long it will take for the virus to vanish.

As at yesterday, July 18, 653 new cases confirmed, added to the existing figures which has risen to 36, 107 confirmed cases in Nigeria. This is outrageously high numbers for a day to detect almost 500 new cases, this will definitely scare people, despite the precautionary measures adopted to avoid overcrowded environment, the policy of two passengers seated in a row in public transportation, the policy of no face mask no entry, washing of hands regularly, all these measures are strictly adhered to but the high rate of new cases is demoralizing the people and causing confusion in their minds.

The federal government recently reversed it’s earlier announcement on the resumption of schools, saying no Nigerian school will participate in the regional examinations earlier scheduled for August 5 to September 5.

This year’s examination administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) was postponed indefinitely in April after it was earlier scheduled to commence in May.

The postponement was due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has ravaged the globe for months. Nigeria has so far recorded over 33,000 infections and over 600 deaths.

The chronic virus has halted work and school activities, final year students who are supposed to commence their WAEC by May/June could not write the exams due to COVID-19, it is not certain yet if the exams will be carried out as planned this year, this is total sadness to the students who should be jubilating by now over the completion of their final year.

Pupils and secondary students have missed two terms in a session, expecting to resume a new session by September, hoping to be promoted to the next class but this is like a nightmare to everyone, education is not what it is used to be anymore due to the uncertainties brought by the life-threatening Virus spreading faster than one could imagine.

Majority of the students are relaxed because remote learning is not as engaging and active as it would in a traditional setting for learning. It is just to keep students on track while staying home. It’s been six month of irregularities in the country, we are being ruled by the Virus because decisions are made based on the updates given by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The current situation is deteriorating to the point whereby people are loosing hope and becoming pessimist regarding the unprecedented situation, which is tearing the world apart. It brings so much pain and agony to all, as the death toll increases daily world wide with no permanent vaccine yet, the world is reducing drastically, human deaths are being counted like flies, so heartbreaking to start the year with such a disaster claiming millions of life’s.
It has caused so much worry for scientists, researchers, doctors and many more Frontline workers who has put in all their very best to eradicate the death-dealing virus and are still researching on the cure to end the menace in the world. At this junction, I believe praying fervently to God will eventually heal the world and save us from the torment of COVID-19. Continue to heed to the directives of the government and this shall be history in no time.