First of all, let me congratulate you for making it to the post-COVID-19 era. Thank you for staying safe and staying healthy. It’s been a long time since the whole pandemic started and it has successfully but unfortunately affected a lot of activities. I’m so glad things are returning back to normal, I’m sure you are too.

In the midst of all the excitement that we’re gradually getting our lives back, I want us to know something; the coronavirus is still very much around us. A big kudos and thank you to the superheroes of this time; the health workers who are at the frontline in battling this pandemic. Kudos to the government as well for the strict measures in curtailing the spread of the virus but do you know that there are people who flaunt some of these orders as though coronavirus is totally gone.

I see the way people go out now without their nose mask talk more of sanitizers. When the whole pandemic started then, I saw the way people go out with sanitizers, both spray and liquid, hand gloves, polythene bags to collect their money from vendors so as to avoid contact as much as possible, for a fact, nose mask became the order of the day but now, I don’t know what to say than it is well. It’s now as though people don’t care about their health anymore. What baffles me the most is that up until now, we still have people who do not believe the existence of the virus, some even say it is political propaganda. Some also say it’s a disease for rich people. I believe that people think it’s a disease for the rich because the infected cases and deaths announced publicly have been that of very influential people. What about those that were not announced? What about the ones you don’t know about?

Statistics have shown that as at 16^th of August, 2020; 21,472,570 cases have been reported and 766,080 deaths recorded. Now tell me, how many of these victims do you know? How many were announced on your local radio or television stations? My people, why are we the ones adding salt to our own injury? It’s good the government is easing the lockdown so as to boost the economy as it has been seriously affected by the pandemic, but then, we should still comply with the rules and regulations laid down by the government during this period.

Recently, I was going out and while trying to talk to a bike man, he asked me to remove my nose mask so he could hear me clearly. I tried speaking louder but he was still insisting on me removing my nose mask. I moved away immediately to the next person available. If we keep removing our nose mask each time we want to speak to someone or vice versa, then the nose mask becomes useless because it’s not being used for the purpose for which it was created. It rather becomes an item of fashion instead of protection. I didn’t mean that you shouldn’t slay with your nose mask but please be protected.

The latest strain of the virus is the asymptomatic meaning the carrier might show little or no symptoms at all. Now imagine if you were around such a person and you were not protected in any way, you automatically become a carrier. So, to avoid this, always protect yourself.

Just if in case you’ve forgotten some of the safety measures, let me remind you;

• Maintain at least 6ft distance between you and the next person
• Always sanitize your hands and phones and every other place you always have physical contact with.
• Wear your nose mask always when going out and dispose of immediately when you’re back.
• Always cough or sneeze into a tissue and dispose of immediately.

This is also to parents, students are resuming back to school gradually and it is our responsibility to ensure they’re safe and observe safety measures also.

The coronavirus is still very much around us but I believe that if you and I decide to stay strong and fight this deadly virus together, we will overcome it in no time and the world will be safe again.

Till then, stay safe, stay strong and stay healthy.