Evaluation of the Level of Covid-19 Safety Compliance in Tertiary Institutions

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Colleges and Universities environments are where students reside and concentrate in closeness to one another. They are additionally humming social center points where students are united from departments in the university. In recent times, the establishments of this special ecosystem have been affected essentially by the rapid spread of the Covid-19 flare-up, creating uncertainty in regards to the implication for advanced education.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2020), Covid-19 is a family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

In 1960 first case of coronavirus was notified and Canadian study in 2001 was identified approximately 500 patients as Flu-like system in which 17 to 18 cases were confirmed as infected with Coronavirus by polymerase chain reaction. These include livestock, birds, and mammals such as bats, camels, masked palm civets, dogs, mice, and cats. In 2003, various reports were published the spreading of Coronavirus in many countries such as Hong Kong, United States America, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan and their several case of severe acute respiratory syndrome which caused by Coronavirus and their mortally was more than 1000 patient. Another study report in Hong Kong was confirmed 50 patients are suffering from severe acute respiratory syndrome while 30 of them were confirmed as Coronavirus infected. In Wuhan (China) late December 2019 a case unidentified pneumonia was reported by Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China (PRC) their clinical characteristics were very similar to those of viral pneumonia. After analysis on respiratory samples the Centre for Disease Control expert declared that the pneumonia, later known as novel virus and officially named the disease COVID-19 was declared by World Health Organization (WHO). The initial cases had a common exposure to the Huanan wholesale seafood market that also traded live animals. On December 31st 2019, China notified the outbreak to the WHO and on 1st January the Huanan sea food market was closed. For identification of this disease different sample from Huanan sea food market also tested, signifying that the virus originated from there. The number of cases started increasing exponentially, some of which did not have exposure to the live animal market, suggestive of the fact that human-to-human transmission was occurring.

The outbreak of pandemic Covid-19 all over the world has disturbed the educational, political, social, economic, religious, and financial structures of the whole world. The world’s topmost economies such as the US, China, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, and many others are on the verge of collapse. Besides, Stock Markets around the world have been pounded and oil prices have fallen off a cliff. In just a week 3.3 million Americans applied for unemployment and a week later another 6.6 million people started searching for jobs. Also, many experts on economic and financial matters have warned about the worsening condition of global economic and financial structure.

In order to reduce and deal with the spread of the infection in Nigeria, the national Government commanded the utilization of face-mask; social distancing, utilization of sanitizers in washing hands and cleaning of surfaces regularly in contact with, thess safety measures are all applicable to all individual and including university students. In any case, before the resumptions of tertiary institutions, the Nigeria Governments encouraged all tertiary institutions to guarantee that there is a sufficient consistence compliance to Covid-19 safety measures. hence, the extent to which tertiary institutions in Nigeria adhere to those compulsory safety measures have been uncertain likewise other parts of Nigeria. Thus, this study emerged as a result of this uncertainty.

 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

A pandemic is a disease outbreak that spreads across countries or continents. It affects more people and takes more lives than an epidemic which according to the World Health Organization (WHO), declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic when it became clear that the illness was severe and that it was spreading quickly over a wide area.

Coronavirus has been known to be a terrifying and destructive disease that can annihilate human lives across the world.

The Nigerian Government from the absolute first episode of this infection in Nigeria mandated the citizens to apply several measures to curb its widespread in the country. The closure of schools in the country from primary, secondary and tertiary level were among the measures the government took to reduce the rate of the spread of the pandemic. On the point of reopening schools in Nigeria, the government stated different measures school owners and tertiary institution management should but inn place in a quest to fighting the pandemic rand curb its widespread among students. Hence, most tertiary schools in Nigeria are over populated by thousands of students flowing in and out. However, the extent of law evasion and neglects among university students are overwhelming.

Johnson (2020) opined that; the adherence to the Covid-19 rules by tertiary students in Nigeria will be a challenge to the management because of the fact that many of the students are influenced by social groups as many belongs to notorious societies which encourages law evasion. Thus, this study is geared towards investigating the level at which tertiary institutions comply to Covid-19 safety prevention measures.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the Level of Covid-19 Safety Compliance by Tertiary Institutions. Below are other specific objectives;

1. Investigate if students adequately make use of face mask, sanitizers and observe social distancing.
2. Examine the extent to which students observe those prevention measures.
3. Find out if school lecturers adhere to the execution and practice of these covid-19 safety prevention measures?
4. Investigate if school management and law enforcers ensure and contribute to the execution and application of the safety measures by students.

 RESEARCH QUESTION

1. Does students make adequate use of face mask, sanitizers and observe social distancing?
2. At what extent do students observe those prevention measures?
3. Does the school lecturers adhere to the execution and practice of these covid-19 safety prevention measures
4. Do the school management and law enforcers ensure and contribute to the execution and application of the safety measures by students?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be of unspeakable importance to the Federal and state Government as it will expose the situation of compliance by tertiary institutions, and the gaps the enforcement agencies creates which stipulate irregular adherence to covid 19 rules and restrictions. And the recommendations will make a great impact on how to tighten the restrictions. The study however will also help university management boards on what best way to ensure the safety of the students. This study will add to existing literature in this area of study and serve as an eye-opener for further research in this domain.

 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study- Evaluation of the Level of Covid-19 Safety Compliance in Tertiary Institutions covers only University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Compliance: the act of obeying and observing that which is lawful and legal.

Transportation Company: A transportation company is a business that transports freight from one location to another which is a key in the value chain in manufacturing.

Covid 19: This is also known as coronavirus and it is a communicable respiratory disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus that causes illness in humans.

Government: The body of persons that constitutes the governing authority of a political unit or organization: such as. a : the officials comprising the governing body of a political unit and constituting the organization as an active agency.