CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In the event of an infectious disease outbreak, local officials may require the public to take measures to limit and control the spread of the disease. This tip sheet provides information about social distancing, quarantine, and isolation. The government has the right to enforce federal and state laws related to public health if people within the country get sick with highly contagious diseases that have the potential to develop into outbreaks or pandemics. This tip sheet describes feelings and thoughts you may have during and after social distancing, quarantine, and isolation. It also suggests ways to care for your behavioral health during these experiences and provides resources for more help.

With the rapidly escalating COVID-19 pandemic, governments in all countries have been urged by W.H.O to regard control of the disease as a ‘top priority’ [3]; ECDC has made a similar call for EU/EEA Member States [4, 4a]. This short guide discusses various aspects of the implementation of social distancing measures, including the decision-making process and some of the socio-economic effects that they may bring about.

The COVID-19 pandemic is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation for which social distancing measures may be justified and implemented as a core component of the response. Public health authorities should ensure that decision makers are aware of, and understand, the current scientific uncertainties related to the virus [5]. These uncertainties include, among other issues:

• The precise mode(s) of transmission of the virus, and the possibility of aerosol transmission 
• How long someone needs to be exposed in order to be infected
• The minimum infectious dose/number of infectious viral particles needed to initiate infection
• The degree of infectivity prior to onset of symptoms, and how long a person is infectious after recovery
• Whether seasonality will affect transmission
• Immune responses in humans and duration of immunity

Mathematical modelling of the effects of social distancing interventions can support decision-making, based on the local contact patterns and known or assumed parameters of infectiousness, incubation time and duration of immunity [30]. Public health authorities should recognize that extra-scientific factors (e.g. feasibility of implementing scientific advice, time pressure, socio-political factors, institutional factors, economic interests, pressure from neighboring countries etc.) are inherent to the decision-making process. These factors will also influence the implementation of any proposed response measures [1, 5]. Decisions should therefore always be evidence informed, but they will very rarely be purely evidence based. Lessons identified from previous influenza pandemics (e.g. from 1918, 1957, 1968, 2009), annual seasonal influenza epidemics, and from the SARS outbreak in 2003 may be taken into account in the decision-making and implementation process [31, 32]. However, it is important to bear in mind that COVID-19 is a new disease with its own, as yet incompletely understood, properties.

1. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The corona virus (COVID-19) has causes so many unrest in Nigeria and the world at large. The outbreak of COVID-19 has claimed lives; thousands of innocent people have died from the outbreak. In Nigeria today the case is on the increase because of contacts especially from those coming into the country from COVID-19 infested countries.

        The implementation of social distancing tends to be working in other European nation even though some are still getting infected from COVID-19. But in Nigeria the enforcement of social distancing seems not working because of the high level of poverty and traffic congestion in most part of Nigeria especially Lagos State. It is this regard that the study is based on the efficacy of social distancing in the fight against corona virus (COVID-19) in Nigeria.

1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main aim of the research work is to determine the efficacy of social distancing in the fight against corona virus (COVID-19) in Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study are:

1. to determine the relationship between social distancing and the prevalence of corona virus (COVID-19) in Nigeria
2. to examine the effectiveness of social distancing in curbing the spread of corona virus (COVID-19) in Nigeria
3. to examine the level of acceptance of the use of social distancing among Nigeria during the period of corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic
4. to investigate the factors affecting the enforcement of social distancing in Nigeria
5. to proffer solution to the issues surrounding the efficacy of social distancing in the fight against corona virus (COVID-19) in Nigeria

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The study came up with research questions so as to ascertain the above objectives of the study. The following research questions guide the objectives of the study:

1. What is the relationship between social distancing and the prevalence of corona virus (COVID-19) in Nigeria?
2. What is the effectiveness of social distancing in curbing the spread of corona virus (COVID-19) in Nigeria?
3. What is the level of acceptance of the use of social distancing among Nigeria during the period of corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic?
4. What are the factors affecting the enforcement of social distancing in Nigeria?
5. What is the solution to the issues surrounding the efficacy of social distancing in the fight against corona virus (COVID-19) in Nigeria?

1.5 STATEMENT OF THE HYPOTHESIS

H0: there is no significant relationship between social distancing and the prevalence of corona virus (COVID-19) in Nigeria

H1: there is significant relationship between social distancing and the prevalence of corona virus (COVID-19) in Nigeria

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study on the efficacy of social distancing in the fight against corona virus (COVID-19) in Nigeria will be of immense benefits to the federal medical centers in Nigeria, the government and the Nigerian citizens. The study will explore the concept of social distancing and its application to the control of the spread of corona virus (COVID-19) in Nigeria. The study will also serve as a repository of information to other researchers that desire to carry out similar research on the above topic. Finally the study will contribute to the body of the existing literature on the efficacy of social distancing in the fight against corona virus (COVID-19) in Nigeria.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

 The study will cover on the efficacy of social distancing in the fight against corona virus (COVID-19) in Nigeria.

1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

SOCIAL DISTANCING: Social distancing, or physical distancing, is a set of infection control actions intended to stop or slow down the spread of a contagious disease.

CORONA VIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19):

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a new virus. The disease causes respiratory illness (like the flu) with symptoms such as a cough, fever, and in more severe cases, difficulty breathing. You can protect yourself by washing your hands frequently, avoiding touching your face, and avoiding close contact (1 meter or 3 feet) with people who are unwell.