It is no new news that countries around the world are battling the second wave of the Corona-virus pandemic. Nigeria as a country is also making efforts to contain the spreading of the deadly virus.

Following the lost of almost an academic year by Nigerian universities, the Federal Government in conjunction with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 had earlier reviewed and approved the reopening of tertiary institutions on the 18th of January 2021 to enable students return to classes.

However, there seems to be a cause for alarm as the daily reported cases of COVID-19 in the country keeps increasing. This may be a bad omen towards the education sector. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has been recording daily cases in thousands as many people are being infected every day. The reported cases for the 3rd of February, 2021 will help elucidate the point I'm making.

The sole reason for the current spike in the COVID-19 graph cannot be far fetched. It is simply the lackadaisical attitude of many Nigerians towards the COVID-19 safety guidelines. When you go to public offices, motor parks, markets, libraries, hotels, restaurants and other places of public gathering, you will find people flouting the COVID-19 safety guidelines laid by the NCDC. People no longer wear their face masks, except when they are compelled to do so by the police and other paramilitary groups.

The same thing can be said of our tertiary institutions. Many students wear their face masks only at the sight of a constituted authority within the school. The moment they are not in sight, they put their masks in their pockets. Some students do not even know how to use the face masks. They cover their chins leaving their noses and mouths wide open. They have failed to understand that the face mask is designed specifically for covering the nose and mouth.

Furthermore, almost every public university student knows the conditions of our tertiary institutions. Our universities are a sorry sight to behold. Hostels, classes and lecture Halls are dilapidated. The overcrowding in lecture halls and hostels may cause the further spread of Corona virus, since universities don't conduct COVID-19 tests to ascertain who is infected with the virus and who is not.

For these reasons, the government must take action. It will be better to stay home safely than contract COVID-19 in school. Since the government has disclosed that it has made arrangements for COVID-19 vaccines, schools should be shut down for some months– until the vaccines arrive safely in the country. After the vaccination exercise must have been completed, the government can now consider the reopening of the schools at all levels. This way, the lives of both the young and aged will be safeguarded.

The fact that none of your family members is infected with the virus, or you don't know anyone who is infected with the virus does not in anyway imply that the virus is not in existence. Corona virus exists. We have seen a number of prominent Nigerians such as; Abba Kyari, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Adebayo Sikiru Osinowo, Sam Nda-Isaiah, Major General Johnson Olubunmi Irefin and a host of others died from this deadly virus.

Take responsibility.

Always wear your face mask correctly; don't handle your mask with a dirty hand, wash it after every use.

Avoid crowds.

Wash and sanitize your hands regularly.

Avoid body contacts.

Be free to share your opinion on this. It is open for discussion.

Content created and supplied by: RealMikey (via Opera News )