Coro: Drinking over-tea when we have not taken tea!

The Federal Government was raising alarm over the imminence of a second wave of Coro but Kwara State has announced the ‘arrival’ of the second wave in the state, which recorded 180 cases in the past one month. Coro statistics in the past week was particularly alarming, with a record of 796 on 11/12/20, the highest tally since the advent of Coro (hitherto 745 on June 9); the weekly score of 3826 was the highest since July 19-25 when we had 3870 and also a 142% hike from the previous week’s figure of 1607.

The death rate also increased from 9 to 14 within that week. 5000 cases have been recorded in the preceding 9 days (3-11/12/20). However beyond these macro figures, the developments at the subnational and micro levels are even more frightening. Governor Sanwo-Olu, the most active state incident-commander, has unfortunately been Coronised. The small giant of Kaduna, Governor El-Rufai has taken cover and so is the Commander in Chief of the national WAC (War Against Coro), Boss Mustapha, whose family has been infiltrated by the enemy he has been fighting on the external front. When we recall the Coro-devastation that occurred at the Army Conference in Abuja which consumed Major General Irefin (whose people are contesting the cause of death) and afflicted 26 others, then we can only say: what a week!

We are not even in a position to assess the first wave and as such cannot be talking of the second wave. The states just stopped testing and/or reporting their results. With such poor test-statistics, we cannot determine whether we are in the first, second or third wave.

This is happening as we have reverted to the old-normal: jammed public spaces and disdain for all Coro protocols. The various state organs are alarmed and isolation centers, hitherto closed due to dwindling cases have been placed on red-alert. People are also being advised against Christmas carols, festivities and travels, since Coro is always on duty and does not go on holidays.

Kano State University has suspended 2019/20 academic activities while Kaduna is threatening to impose another lockdown over the second wave. However, as we are girding our loin-clothes for the second wave, I dare to ask; is the first wave over? The record figure of 796 on 11/12/20 came in from just 16 states and as at that day, we have tested only 845458 samples in a population of 206m. While countries are testing up to 50000 per million, Nigeria has just managed to do 3000. Furthermore, we ignore asymptomatic cases, which constitute about 60% of the victims. My argument is that we are not even in a position to assess the first wave and as such cannot be talking of the second wave. The states just stopped testing and/or reporting their results. With such poor test-statistics, we cannot determine whether we are in the first, second or third wave. We have to drink tea before we graduate to ‘over-tea’. Surely, if we are not sure of the status of the first wave, we cannot be talking of second wave. One thing is however certain; Coro is real and it is still on rampage. But only the truth (accurate Coro statistics) can set us free.

Read also: Towards a safe and accessible COVID-19 vaccine programme in Nigeria

Meanwhile, nothing is certain about the vaccine programme in Nigeria. The first statement on vaccine came from Okonjo-Iwealla, who assured that we would get the vaccines from ‘end of January’. As I was wondering when she became our Minister of Health or DG of NCDC, Prof Ehanire announced that we would ‘soon’ take delivery of 20m doses. He did not indicate how soon this ‘soon’ would be and was not emphatic about the brand of vaccines and this is as Egypt has already taken delivery of its first batch of Chinese Vaccines, to be distributed free to its citizens.

Developments on the Coro war front across the globe are not cheery either. Fatalities in the US, are now above 300,000. All states in the US have received doses of the vaccine but Trump appears to be running away from jabbing, which Sandra Lindsay became the first vaccine recipient while senators Sherrod Brown and Dan Sullivan almost exchanged blows over face masks the other day. Germany has commenced ‘hard’ national lockdown (16/12/20) after 598 fatalities on 11/12/20. All non-essential shops, services and schools will close until January 10, and Christmas Day gatherings are reduced to a maximum of five from two different households. Czech Republic has shut down after few weeks of opening up while Japanese and South Korean soldiers have been drafted into the WAC with S-Korea in its 3rd wave as cases jumped from hundreds to thousands and Japan having the highest number of severe cases (599 on 14/12/20). Netherlands has just imposed the ‘strictest’ lockdown with group gathering limited to 3 while a new variant has been discovered in London. It is likely to be an unusual Christmas! Singapore becomes the first Asian country to go for Pfizer Vaccine, with plans for enough quantity before the 3rd quarter of 2021. Ambrose Dlamini Eswatini (Swaziland PM) becomes the first seating head of government to succumb to Coro just as Charlie Pride, the first African-American to be listed in American Music Hall of fame has joined the fatality list at 86 while President Tebboun of Algeria celebrated a year in office in absentia as he was undertaking Coro treatment in Germany .

547 pregnancies were recorded among secondary school girls in Borgou area of Benin Republic in 2019-20 session as against 431 last year (you see, they keep records); Kenya is planning to open all schools in January 2021 and research has shown that Covid-19 can cause or worsen erectile dysfunction due to vascular effects, psychological impact and overall health deterioration. However, the old primary school adage that one man’s meat is another man’s poison, has just been validated in Nigeria where 12 banks earned N134bn from e-payments in the first 9 months of 2020 because of increased online activities! That will not prevent them from sacking more staff and indulging in other penny-pinching activities! However, it is not all bad news as a 104 year old Spanish was released from Hospital after a two-week treatment for Coro, surpassing the record of WW2 veteran, major Lee Wooten, who was discharged from Madison hospital two days to his 104th birthday. Abu Dhabi has also developed a Coro-compliant ‘safe-bubble’ that enables them to host some sporting events in these unusual times.

In my last outing (10/12/20), I reported how some Nigerians were arrested in a RCCG church in Turkey for violating Coro protocols. On 13/12/20, Omah-Lay et al were arrested in Uganda for breaking Coro protocols in a country that had foreclosed all music concerts, closed down bars, banned fans at all sporting events, and reduced the numbers of people who could attend church services. They were eventually handcuffed and arraigned for “acts that are likely to cause the spread of infectious disease, Covid-19″. Well, Uganda is NOT Nigeria; we did not handcuff Naira Marley and Funke Akindele who also flouted the protocols as well as other higher-ups who even flew around during the era of Triple Locks. We are exporting our indiscipline and that is not good for our battered image.

Last week, I argued that probably, the devil handed over a twisted mandate to Oga-Coro. However, there are also some antidotes to the devil-Coro coalition, assurances given to all of going through the devastating Coro-storm and even, all those under assorted distress: ‘be calm and know that I am Lord; supreme over nations, supreme over all the earth’ (Ps 46;10) and ‘though we walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve our lives; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of our enemies; your right hand delivers us (Ps 138:7).

These are irrefutable covenants but, before then, we MUST do what He has given us the knowledge (what we know) and the wisdom (how to optimize what we know) to do. For now, it is to AVOID touching MEN (Mouth, Ear & Nose) and instead, to follow WOMEN (Wash our hands, Obey social distancing, Mask up, Exercise & eat well, No unnecessary travels). On the roots of Coro, some mischievous folks have seen the hands of the daughters of Eve in the whole matter since it closed bars, clubs, and football, all of which ensured that men stayed at home!