>
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Oyo State branch, on Thursday warned against reopening schools, saying it is not yet safe.
The Oyo state government had on Monday ordered resumption of classes for Primary Six, JSS3 and SS3 students from Monday, June 29; resumption of work for all categories of workers in the civil service from June 22; opening up of mosques and churches, which are to operate at 25 per cent capacity; and the decision to limit public gathering to not more than 25 persons.
But the NMA, in a press statement jointly signed by its chairman, Dr Akin Sodipo and Secretary, Dr Oluwaseun Adebayo, said from statistics at hand, the decisions, although with good intentions, may not be safe for the school pupils and indeed the citizens of the state at large at this time that the disease appears to be on the increase, describing the announcement as a surprising one.
According to the association, being a critical stakeholder in the war against the pandemic, it has been following closely the progression of the disease and its attendant morbidities and modalities within the state and the country at large and can conveniently say it is not safe now.
The NMA appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde to reconsider his decision to reopen schools and religious centers for the time being.
It, however, commended the efforts of the Makinde-led COVID-19 taskforce in Oyo State for its efforts to prevent the spread of the virus in the state.