COVID-19: Army To Enforce Use Of Face Masks In Enugu

Following the recent spike in the rate of the COVID-19 infections across the country, the Enugu State Government is considering involving the army in enforcing strict compliance in the use of face masks in public places.

This was part of recommendations made by the State COVID-19 Expert Medical Advisory Committee on the de-escalation of the outbreak set up by the state.

Recall that the State Government had constituted a 12-man committee of medical experts, following the recommendation by the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA in the state.

The committee was among other things, saddled with the responsibility of recommending “urgent and effective measures for the de-escalation of the transmission of Coronavirus infection in the state with due regard to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) extant protocols for the prevention of Coronavirus infection transmission.”

Head of the Committee, Prof. Ejims Emmanuel who addressed newsmen, Monday on the outcome of the engagement between EMAC and other critical stakeholders said the recommendation became necessary following the sudden disregard of the use of masks by the citizens in the state.

He noted that there were states in the country where defaulters are flogged and sometimes, taken to court where they are tried and fined, just to drive home the importance of preventive measures in curtailing the rise in the rate of infections.

He explained that many were worried when the virus broke out at first and the country did not record high cases of infection, adding that it was disturbing why everyone would suddenly decide not to bother now that the rate of infections are increasing rapidly.

He said the Committee also recommended increased media coverage of survivors and patients experience with COVID-19 as it will help change the perception among the vast majority that the virus was non-existent.

“Many stakeholders in the transport and Commercial sector said they had not seen a COVID-19 case before. This interesting perspective meant that their appreciation of the seriousness of the outbreak was hampered by the apparent lack of visual evidence to back up their belief” he said.

He maintained that COVID-19 was real, hence the need for all to adhere to publicized preventive measures of social distancing, universal face masks use and hand hygiene practices.

“People are dying in all parts of the country because the message about the existence of COVID-19 has not sunk into the minds of the citizens” he noted.