Covid-19: Beliefs and Attitudes of Mobile Populace Toward its Spread and Prevention in Selected Local Government Areas of Ibadan, Oyo State

Abstract:

The study examined the beliefs and attitudes of mobile populace, particularly, the commercial motorcyclists and their passengers toward the spread, prevention of and the roles of governments on Covid-19. Conspiracy theory provided the theoretical framework. Research survey design and quantitative methods were adopted for data collection. Two Local Government Areas (LGAs) were selected in Ibadan, namely: Ibadan North-west and Egbeda. Ifeleye/Ogunpa and Iyana Agbala garages were purposively selected in the two LGAs, respectively. A structured questionnaire on beliefs, attitudes and government roles toward the spread and prevention of Covid-19 was administered on 50 motorcyclists in each garage. Descriptive statistics were used for data analyses. The findings showed that a motorcyclist in the selected garages has an average of 20 trips and body contacts with 80 probable carriers of Covid-19 per day. Nearly all (98.8%) respondents believed Covid-19 is real, and mostly (43.8%) informed of the virus through social media. Close to three-fifths (58.7%) of the respondents in Iyana Agbala garage disagreed with some religious leaders’ denial of Covid-19, while 25.8 per cent in Ifeleye/Ogunpa agreed. Majority (62.2%) of the respondents in both garages believed Covid-19 spreads through coughing and sneezing. Nearly all the respondents (97.9%) in both garages always use face mask. Over half of the respondents (53.3%) suggested arrest and fine for flouting the health guidelines preventing the spread of the pandemic. Covid-19 is real and has come to stay, therefore, governments at all levels should intensify enlightenment programmes to mitigate the clinical transmission and prevention.