Social Distancing, Lockdown Obligatory, and Response Satisfaction During COVID-19 Pandemic: Perception of Nigerian Social Media Users

Olalekan Seun Olagunju; Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa; Tesleem Kayode Babalola

doi:10.21467/ajss.7.1.44-53

Authors

Olalekan Seun Olagunju Department of Demography & Social Statistics, Obafemi Awolowo University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8394-133X
Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa Department of Public Health, School of Nursing and Public Health Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9208-6408
Tesleem Kayode Babalola Department of Public Health, School of Nursing and Public Health Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1568-3134

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21467/ajss.7.1.44-53

Abstract

Background: Pandemics are challenging for clinical and public health agencies and policymakers because of the scientific and medical uncertainty that accompanies novel viruses like COVID-19 makes an increase of morbidity and mortality prominent. Consequently, there is a need to evaluate the public perception of social distancing, lockdown obligatory, and response satisfactory during the pandemic.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey used an anonymous online google based questionnaire to collect data from respondents via social media platforms. The online survey was conducted among social media users from 1st to 30th April 2020. A snowball sampling technique was employed to recruit respondents for the survey. A total of 1,131 respondents responded across the country.

Results: Nine out of every ten respondents believed that social distancing is an effective measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Also, 8 out of every ten respondents agreed with the lockdown measures. However, just 36.8% think their government is doing enough to stop the outbreak, and only 25% of the respondents were satisfied with the country’s response to the worldwide epidemic. The age of respondents was found to be significantly associated with satisfaction with emergency response during pandemics.

Conclusion: It could be concluded that Nigerian public accepted social distancing as an effective way of curbing the spread of COVID-19 and general acceptance on lockdown obligatory; however, more than half of respondents expressed non-satisfactory with government and other agencies responses during the pandemics.

Keywords:

COVID-19, Nigeria, Perception, Lockdown, Social distancing

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