CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The pandemic COVID-19 is one whose impact is unparalleled in history (Oyerani & Sokeye, n.d). Coronaviruses are a large family of respiratory viruses that can cause illness in people and animals. In turn, these infections can easily spread from person-to-person as was the case with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV) (IAMAT, 2020). The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has become an important health threat ravaging the World Health Organization (WHO), COVID19 is a viral infection that causes respiratory illness. The disease is basically transmitted from person to person through contact with droplet of an infected person. Although most people can easily recover from the illness without specialized treatment, people who are older and those with existing medical conditions such as cancer, chronic respiratory infections, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases are more likely to experience severe illness and death due to COVID-19 (Omaka-Amari, Aleke, Obande-Ogbuinya, Ngwakwe, Nwankwo & Afoke (2020).
Although advances in technology has helped in containment, the pandemic spread still poses a strong challenge. This has resulted in countries of the world gathering resources, both intellectual and financial, to combat a common enemy (Oyerani & Sokeye, n.d). A great deal of scientific research has been embarked upon in order to address the issue that is associated with the novel virus. This search hasn’t been limited to just a country, but to virtually all the countries of the world. The name Covid-19 was given to the virus by the WHO on the 11th of February, 2020. It is an acronym which stands for CoronaVirus Disease of 2019 (Oyerani & Sokeye, n.d). An outbreak of the novel (new) coronavirus was first reported in December 2019 when cases of viral pneumonia with unknown origin were confirmed in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Because of its similarity to SARS-CoV, the virus has been named: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (IAMAT, 2020). This virus causes the disease referred to as COVID-19 – Coronavirus disease 2019. Similar to other coronaviruses SARS-CoV-2 is suspected to have come from animals, potentially bats (IAMAT, 2020).
The virus is transmitted from human to human via droplets coughed or exhaled by infected persons and by touching droplet-contaminated surfaces or objects and then touching the eyes, nose or mouth. The most commonly reported clinical symptom in laboratory-confirmed cases is fever (88%), followed by a dry cough (68%), fatigue (38%), sputum production (33%), dyspnoea (19%), sore throat (14%), headache (14%) and myalgia or arthralgia (15%). Less common symptoms are diarrhoea (4%) and vomiting (5%). Around 80% of the reported cases in China had mild-to-moderate disease (including non-pneumonia and pneumonia cases), 13.8% had severe disease and 6.1% were critical (respiratory failure, septic shock, and/or multiple organ dysfunction/failure) (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 2020). Cases of asymptomatic virus infection have also been reported. Based on data from China, the international WHO mission report indicates that up to 75% of initially asymptomatic cases will progress to clinical disease, making true asymptomatic infection rather rare. Modelling estimations of pre-symptomatic transmission have been reported to be between 48% and 62%. Major uncertainties remain in assessing the influence of pre-symptomatic transmission on the overall transmission dynamics of the pandemic (ECDPC, 2020).
Population groups that have been more frequently reported as having severe disease and a higher mortality rate include people aged over 60 years, males, people with underlying conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease and cancer (ECDPC, 2020). Pregnant women appear to experience similar clinical manifestations to non-pregnant adult patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. There is no evidence of severe adverse outcomes in neonates due to maternal COVID-19 pneumonia, and the virus has not been found in breastmilk. Information currently available indicates that children are as likely to be infected as adults, and they mainly experience mild clinical manifestations. Robust estimates of the final case fatality risk for COVID-19 are still lacking and biased due to incomplete outcome data and the fact that only severe cases were detected during the initial phase of the outbreak. In data on diagnosed COVID-19 cases in China, Italy and South Korea, the overall case-fatality rate (CFR) was 2.3%, 2.8% and 0.5%, respectively. This increased with age in all settings, with the highest CRF among people over 80 years of age (14.8%, 8.2% and 3.7%, respectively (ECDPC, 2020).
Following the confirmation of the index case of COVID-19 in Nigeria, the viral population rapidly increased within the country at an exponential rate. At the end of the fourth week of the virus in Nigeria, there were a total of 25 recorded cases in the country. Further examination of the confirmed cases revealed that 76 percent of COVID-19 cases had travel history outside the country, while 20 percent of confirmed cases had close contact with COVID-19 patients (Oyerani & Sokeye, n.d). The remaining 4 percent of confirmed cases were classified as no epidemiological connection and incomplete information. This implied that the majority of confirmed cases in Nigeria were returnees from epicentres, this prompted NCDC to issue a guideline that made it mandatory for returnees from high-risk countries to stay in isolation for a minimum of 14 days. The Federal government suspended all international flights into Lagos and Abuja, effective 23rd March 2020. The decision was taken as a preventive measure against the spread of the virus in the nation. As of 21st March 2020, only three States of the federation plus the FCT Abuja had recorded cases of COVID-19 in the country; Lagos (19), Ogun (2), Ekiti (1) and Abuja (3). By the end of the fifth week, there was at least one confirmed case of COVID-19 in all geographical zones of the country. This led to the restriction of interstate movement and total restriction of movement (lockdown) in Lagos, Ogun, and Abuja. On the 7th of March 2021, 269 new confirmed cases and 5 deaths were recorded in Nigeria. The 269 new cases are reported from 19 states- Enugu (78), Bauchi (37), Rivers (22), Imo (18), Ogun (16), FCT (15), Akwa Ibom (13), Kaduna (13), Kebbi (11), Kwara (9), Edo (7), Ekiti (6), Borno (5), Yobe (5), Kano (4) Nasarawa (3), Osun (3), Anambra (2) and Plateau (2) (NCDC, 2021). This signals the increasing number in the spread of the virus in Nigeria
This virus has however from different studies shown to have affected human from different areas. Yet there is everyday record of the virus in different states in Nigeria. This has then raised the question of how the spreading of the disease can be controlled. It is against this backdrop it is important to look into this
1.2 Statement of Problem
The widespread of the novel coronavirus has been one great concerns for all and sundries in Nigeria. Despite all the precautionary measures that were put in place by public and private sectors in ensuring that the spread of this virus is contained, there be no fruitfulness in all them. The novel virus has been ravaging Nigeria for over a year now, but there has been little success rate about the effort in curtailing it. Even though, there have been decrease in the case reported lately compared to when it started, but, it is expected that with all the strict measures that have been put in place regarding the virus, such as enforcing of wearing of noise mask in the public space, and also restricting large gathering such as worship centres to about 50 persons, there seems to be no remarkable reduction, has the figure keeps rising and falling.
Recently, the government announces second wave of the virus which actually led to the imposing of some restriction on some public and private activities. It was also recorded that the president disclosed that the government would not restrict immigration into the country or impose second lockdown due to the second wave of the novel Corona Virus.
One very good factor that could be linked to the widespread of this virus is the culture of the people. Nigerians are believed are people who love social gathering, and love going for social functions where many people are gathered, exchange handshakes, hug one another and the like. The market place and some other informal open spaces where people are gathered in numbers without reference for the preventive guideline also existed in their numbers. In fact, there are some population who do not much believe in the existence of the Corona virus. These people believed that the virus is just being used by the government to wield support from the international community in terms of grants and its equivalents.
This signal the ineffectiveness of the government in enforcing law due to the multicultural nature of the country, and also the state of the country economically, as people would go hungry if the government should impose some restriction orders on the people. This has made prevention of transmission of the disease very difficult. However, since some of the conventional measures are not as effective as expected, it is therefore a matter of need to device means through which the transmission of the virus can be reduced and totally eradicated. It is against his background that this study seeks to investigate how the use public relations can be potent in curbing the novel corona virus.
1.3 Research Objectives
The main objective of this study is to investigate how using public relations in curbing the menace of COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria. The specific objectives are to:
i. Ascertain challenges faced by the public in complying to the precautionary measures for curtailing the transmission of corona virus;
ii. investigate factors that contributes to the widespread of Corona Virus in Nigeria; and
iii. examine the dispositions of the experts on the effectiveness of public relations in curbing the transmission of corona virus in Nigeria.
1.4 Research Questions
i. What are the challenges faced by the public in complying to the precautionary measures for curtailing the transmission of corona virus?
ii. What are the factors that contributes to the widespread of Corona Virus in Nigeria?
iii.What are the dispositions of the experts on the effectiveness of public relations in curbing the transmission of corona virus in Nigeria?
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study would contribute to the body of knowledge by investigating the usefulness of public relations in curbing the menace of Corona virus pandemic in Nigeria. This study’s result will show the challenges faced by the public in complying to the precautionary measures for curtailing the transmission of corona virus. It would further relate the factors that contributes to the widespread of Corona Virus in Nigeria. It will also present result of on the dispositions of the experts on the effectiveness of public relations in curbing the transmission of corona virus in Nigeria.
The findings of this study would be useful for the government in ensuring that the corona virus transmission is contained, and ultimately overcome. The study would also be useful for researchers who are a likely going to research more on this area as reference.
1.6 Scope of the Study
The study would understudy how instrumental public relations could be in curbing the widespread of corona virus in Lagos State. The study would make use of primary data which shall be gotten from the public, health practitioners and public relations experts in Lagos state. The data from other state aside Lagos state will not be considered for this study.
1.7 Definition of Key Terms
i. Public Relations: is the practice of deliberately managing the release and spread of information between an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a non-profit organization) and the public in order to affect the public perception.
ii. Pandemic: an epidemic occurring worldwide, or over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting a large number of people.
iii. Corona Virus: Coronaviruses are a large family of respiratory viruses that can cause illness in people and animals