The Chairman, National Technical Committee on Covid-19, Prof. Oyewale Tomori, has faulted the simulation and projections adopted by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in managing the pandemic in the country.
Tomori, Nigeria’s leading virologist cautioned Nigerians against absorbing the figures being reeled out daily by the NCDC without probing further.
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The professor who lectures at the Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, said this on Tuesday while delivering virtual lecture themed: ‘Science and Mis-Science of COVID-19′ at the Annual General Meeting of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, University College Hospital, Ibadan.
He said the NCDC has made projections which contradicted the reality on the ground, noting that some of the misinformation about the virus should be discarded.
Oyewale Tomori said, “The NCDC told us that we reached our peak in July and infection rate has been declining; we need to take this with a pinch of salt.
“The NCDC gives us figures without giving us the details of what is happening.”
Also, the Chairman, UCH Response Team on Covid-19, Prof. Kayode Osungbade, also faulted the accuracy of the figures being given at both the federal and state levels.
Osungbade said, “Reopening the airports, the schools, the universities and clubhouses is a threat.”
He said the nation needed to be cautious so that it would not be forced to lockdown again.
While backing Tomori’s position, another speaker, Prof. Wura Sokunbi, alleged there have been inaccuracies in the NCDC figures.
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Prof. Samuel Omokhodion, said Nigeria should not rush to reopen the economy, warning that a spike in cases would further hurt the struggling economy.
He said France and Spain rushed to reopen their beaches and the infection rate surged after that.
“I hope we will not have to go back to lockdown. It is better to err on the side of caution,” he stated.
