Sola Adeyemo 
The Oyo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Thursday commended the efforts of the Governor Seyi Makinde-led COVID-19 Taskforce in its efforts at preventing the spread of the pandemic in the state, but advised that re-opening of schools now is quite unsafe.
In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Dr. Akin Sodipo and Secretary, Dr. Okuwaseun Adebayo, the association described the announcement by the state government that final year primary and secondary school students should resume on June 29 was a surprising one in view of the alarming figures of people infected being released daily.
Makinde had, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, announced the resumption of classes for Primary Six, JSS3 and SS3 students from Monday, June 29; resumption of work by all category of workers at the state secretariat 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 while reacting to the announcement, the NMA said: “Being a critical stakeholder in the war against the pandemic 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 from statistics at hand that these decisions, although with good intentions, may not be a safe one 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.”
They then appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde to reconsider his decision to re-open schools and religious centres for the time being.
