We Can Work Together Against Corona
Denials on the existence of COVID-19 from many parts of Nigeria has frustrated sensitization efforts aimed at changing behaviours of persons within such communities.
This has also affected attitudes, that are critical to ensuring the adoption of non-pharmaceutical interventions like social distancing, mask use, hand and respiratory hygiene.
Misconceptions about COVID-19 such as; “COVID-19 does not exist in Nigeria.
“The virus can be cured by eating garlic”. The temperature in Nigeria will not allow it to thrive etc, are widespread in Nigeria and even beyond.
However, It is these attitudes that informed the decision by Seach For Common Ground (Search) to support the government to scale-up strategies to demystify COVID-19 through the guidance of community initiatives to Work Together Against the spread of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
The campaign goes to encourage social media influencers to participate in an on-going sensitization exercise and sustain the strategy by educating their immediate community.
The campaign is facilitating the mobilization and involvement of Social Media influencers across Nigeria to device a holistic approach in addressing challenges of misconception, denial of COVID-19 disease, low perception of risk and stigmatization, all of which hugely affect the identification and testing of suspected cases.
Despite the increase in recorded cases, Nigeria like other countries is battling widespread denial of the existence of COVID-19 as well as stigmatization attached to the disease. The culture of denial is seeing many refuse to use face masks or to adopt other preventive measures that will help curb transmission.
As such the responsibility is on us to use the influence and respect earned from our communities to reach the people with key messages on COVID-19 sensitization and creation of awareness on the virus, symptoms, prevention, community testing and information on the location of sample collection centres in the state, and vaccination information.
We can work together Against Corona as Allie Battling the same pandemic