TUE, APRIL 07 2020-theG&BJournal-That is the message members of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 underscored Monday during their briefing in Abuja while drawing attention to the group of people that have a higher susceptibility to the coronavirus infections.
The Taskforce noted that elderly-people above the age of 60-70, those with diabetes and hypertension case, those with uncontrolled viral HIV infections are the ones most likely to end up in hospitals when they pick up the COVID-19 infection- probably in ventilators, and possibly die.
‘’So these groups in particular really need to protect themselves by keeping away from general public. Older persons and persons with vulnerable underlying illness must be put in protected isolation, especially persons who may fit the case definition of COVID-19 or persons who might have been abroad or who has close contact with persons who may have been abroad,’’ Boss Mustapha, Chairman Presidential Taskforce on Control of COVID-19 said.
‘’The number of cases is rising and this calls for extra caution and extra collaboration by the citizens, corporate and religious bodies as well as community leaders. The awareness must reach the informed and the uninformed and in it is our collective responsibility,’’ the Taskforce urged.
The increase in cases with no clear epidemiological definition will mean that there will be a need to discuss changes the public advisory and the Ministry of Health and its agencies are gearing to review and analyse the situation, theG&BJournal gathered.
Meanwhile, Sanni Aliyu, National Coordinator of Presidential Task Force said the government will be adhering strictly to the protocol for testing.
There are only three indications for testing for COVID-19-you need to have symptoms which may be a fever which happens in the majority of cases up to 90%, coughs which happens in two third of cases and shortness of breath.
‘’If you have these symptoms and you’ve come from abroad or you’ve had contact with a case of coronavirus disease or you have presented to a hospital with a respiratory illness consistent with the symptom you will be tested,’’ Aliyu said.
‘’And regardless of your position in the society, if you do not have these symptoms, you will not be tested because a negative test does not have any value. This is not an infection like the HIV in which case you want to know your status. This is an acute respiratory infection and the tests done are specific, in this case we are looking for the active virus itself.’’
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