Flu naturally tends to spread during the cold season, not because these seasons come with pathogens, but because people tend to stay together in enclosed spaces for warmth. It then makes it easy for viruses to spread faster since ventilation is not an option in an extremely cold weather. People prefer to stay indoors rather than go outside to receive fresh air. Reports state that in the past there had been spikes in flu-related deaths around December and January the world over.
Winter has led to an increase in coronavirus cases in different parts of the world; some countries are going through a second and even third wave and people are being asked to stay at home.
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Children are known to be carefree people; they do not understand personal space and will touch anything and anyone they see. It is usually hard to make teenagers, especially, keep their masks on because they are always spitting out “I know my rights” in the face of adults.
With almost everyone catching flu or having flu-like symptoms presently, schools are a good breeding ground for the coronavirus. Authorities cannot be too careful no matter how they try; comings and goings from such organisations make them vulnerable. People vested with authority in Nigeria have a terrible habit of failing us. They do not go to schools, especially elite schools, with the intention of doing any proper supervision whatsoever, be it those that are meant to check staff welfare, those to make sure learning materials are in order, or those that should make sure the environment is conducive for learning or the COVID-19 protocols are being observed.
All they do is stop by the offices of the administrators, listen to a few words, drink a cup of tea with some fancy snacks to go with, maybe get a “grease of their palms”, and off they go. They walk back to their exorbitant cars and ride back to their offices, checking nothing and fixing zilch.
Coronavirus is real and a terrible flu hurts as bad. People all around the world have lost loved ones and now that the cold season is here, we cannot afford to make those infectious numbers and mortality rate jump intentionally. Those in charge of making COVID-19 remain at a very minimal level by ensuring all public places adhere to the rules must shake off corruption and be human enough to carry out their duties.
Schools must let go of their business venture mentality and put human life first. They need people to be alive to pay fees, and they need their students and staff healthy and in one piece for teaching and learning to transpire. Possible cases of flu or even COVID-19 shouldn’t be treated as covert for whatever reason. There are people with underlying issues and vulnerable body systems in the homes of those staff and students and protecting them should be paramount.
Halima Imam
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