Even with WHO’s certification, fear persists over Ebola

A refreshing piece of news circulated around the world on Monday. It was the clean bill of health given to Nigerians by the World Health Organization (WHO) over the Ebola Virus Disease.

On that day, the global body declared Nigeria totally free of the deadly scourge that had harvested more than 4, 000 souls in West Africa.
In spite of the news, however, not everyone has conquered the Ebola fear. Many insist that they would continue to avoid body contacts with others. Some others noted that they would still not shake hands with anyone for fear of contacting the disease.
For Mrs. Nnedinso Asogwa, a roadside food vendor, the outbreak of the Ebola virus totally changed her business environment. “I make use of hand sanitizers each time I collect money from my customers, and I also ensure that every customer uses the hand sanitizer before settling down to be served,” she told the reporter. In her opinion, the Ebola virus could still be out there, waiting to pounce on anyone that does not follow the regulations on how to avoid contacting the virus stringently.
Miss Stephanie Munachi, a four-year-old Nursery Three pupil of the Learning Field Schools in Satellite Town, Lagos has more knowledge of the Ebola virus than many of her age mates. For her the compulsory use of the hand sanitizer at home and in school and the use of the digital thermometer on her which she calls “the pim-pim sounding instrument to check her temperature before being allowed to enter her school bus, is a constant reminder that the Ebola threat was still not over.
Mrs. Patience Ogbaje, a medical personnel, argued that the Ebola virus would remain a threat to the lives of Nigerians, so long as the virus still remains in other parts of the world. For her, more efforts needed to be put in place before the fear among Nigerians could be fully overcome. She suggested that government should do more in ensuring that the people did not return to their old ways and that the habit of washing hands with soap as well as the continuous use of hand sanitizers continued.
Mr. Segun Joseph, a businessman, said he would remain very cautious even as he welcomed the country’s new Ebola-free status. He said he would still shun the consumption of bush meat for now, just as he would not be in a hurry to shake hands with anybody.
Ebola was imported into Nigeria on July 20, by a Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer. He died in Lagos five days later. Some of those who had primary contact with him, notably health workers at the facility where he was receiving care, contacted the disease and died before the disease was effectively contained in the country in late August...post by expdonaloaded