The Secretary to the Government of Akwa Ibom State and chairman, State Task Force on COVID-19, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, has lamented over the nonchalant attitude of people in observing the NCDC/WHO safety protocols of coronavirus, warning that the disease has not disappeared from the surface.
Ekuwem made the observations on Sunday during the launch/public presentation of the book entitled “Coronavirus 19 and doing Alright: the Search for Meaning” written by Dr. Monsignor Michael Ekpenyong which took place at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, West Itam, Uyo Akwa Ibom State.
The SSG said the state government has continued with tests of suspected persons and warned that with the second wave of the pandemic currently ravaging Europe and America, there was a need for thoroughness in the implementation of the safety and prevention protocols.
His words, “This malady, COVID-19 that we have the privilege to contribute or superintend or monitor is real. And please, father, draw the attention of sisters and brothers in the church that COVID-19 has not gone, it is still very much with us.
“We must therefore continue to wear facemasks always, I don’t like it, but it’s good to continue to wear it, wear your facemask and try as much as possible to observe social distancing in all public places.”
However, the Book reviewer, Rev. (Dr) Donatus Udoette who lauded the author Monsignor Michael Ekpenyong, parish priest of St Paul Catholic Church, West Itam, Uyo, for his creativity explained that he has succeeded in establishing the fact that even though Coronavirus has introduced a new world order of social distancing and virtual realities; the original spiritual framework and divine knowledge of interconnectivity and relativity remain intact.
“Monsignor Ekpenyong harps that social distancing occasioned by COVID-19 should not be allowed to affect or blur spiritual closeness to those in need, “from a distance,” he said.
