The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has both warned against early easing of the social distancing and the lockdown order too quickly.
The warning comes from the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Gheireyesus who said, the WHO is eager to see every human activity comes back to normal, but said at the same time lifting the restriction too quickly is suicidal for fear of a resurgence of the deadly coronavirus.
Ghebreyesus explained that the Global health body was working with the affected countries on modalities to ease the lockdown without compromising the public health.
While commenting on the pandemic, Dr Francis Adebayo, the president of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) revealed that there is now evidence of community transmission of COVID-19.
Therefore relaxing the restriction order will end up promoting the spread of the disease.
The Director-General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu throw his weight behind the extension of the restriction order, though he said the restriction order will be unveiled by Mr President.
Meanwhile, He said with the absence of a vaccine and the therapeutics nature of the disease, it is better we strengthen the non-pharmaceutical measures to arrest the spread of the virus.
He added, “We know that people get the virus, when they come in contact with infected people.
If movement restriction and other measures are adhered to, we can reduce the risk of spread.”
“It is still too early to compare our outcomes with other countries.
The outbreak is reaching peak levels in Europe and the Americas.
We are still at an early stage in Africa.
We will continue working very hard, based on recommended protocols, in the management of COVID-19 cases.” Ihekweazu added.
However, some expert hinted yesterday that drug for the deadly COVID-19 may be available by June this year “Pharmaceutical company, Gilead, is working on a drug called Remdesivir, which is in clinical phase trial three.
Also, Abby is working on Lopinavir-Ritonavir combination (second-line HIV drug), and it’s also in phase three of clinical trials.
As scientists across the world are struggling to develop a vaccine for coronavirus, swathes of pharmaceutical firms have also been forced to halt clinical trials.
Hundreds of trials have either been cancelled or delayed as laboratories refocus their resources on COVID-19.
