COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria: Misconception among individuals, impact on animals, and the role of mathematical epidemiologists COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria: Misconception among individuals, impact on animals, and the role of mathematical epidemiologists

Abstract

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, to be a pandemic. Since the declaration, Nigeria economy has been greatly impacted, thus resulting in a recession. This paper considers a couple of misconceptions among Nigerian people in the COVID-19 pandemic era, thereby causing the spread of the novel virus and hence making the situation difficult for the government to handle. In particular, we discuss the first and second waves of the pandemic as it affects the Nigerian people. The impact of the pandemic on animals and the role of mathematical epidemiologists in combatting the spread are discussed herein. We give some recommendations that could be adopted by the government and the good people of Nigeria to reduce the further spread of the virus.