Impact of Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic on Social Lives and Interactions of Nigerian Citizens

Abstract

The coronavirus disease is a communicable and contagious respiratory disease that has not only affected human social lives, interactions and relationships but has equally changed other significant patterns and aspects of people’s normal life, even after the global lockdown. Nigerians, during and after the lockdown caused by COVID-19 are behaviourally influenced and affected by the novel virus. Thus, this study sought to investigate how COVID-19 pandemic has affected social lifestyle and interactions of Nigerians. The main objectives of this study were to ascertain how COVID-19 pandemic affected human communication and interactions; people’s social lifestyles and activities; people’s movement and transportation; the education system in Nigeria and house hold welfare or economy of Nigerians. The study adopted descriptive survey design with questionnaire and published materials on COVID-19 as instruments for data collection. Nigerians aged 18 years and above were studied through an online questionnaire survey which was distributed through social media platforms, emails and professional networks between 10th and 30th January, 2021. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the five most affected COVID-19 States in Nigeria in the year 2020 A total of 400 Nigerian participants completed the structured validated Likert-Scale questionnaire that assessed the impacts of COVID-19 on people’s social lives, interactions and welfare. Data were analyzed using 4-point like rt scale in descending order of SA, A, D and SD with mean and standard deviation to determine the level of responses. Major findings revealed that COVID-19 negatively affected the lives of people, ranging from lack of face-to-face communication and interaction, to change in people’s social welfare and lifestyle, to halt in education and academic activities, restriction in movement and transportation and household welfare challenges. It is suggested that policymakers should intensify efforts to ensure that corona virus is completely eradicated by providing and making COVID-19 drugs and vaccines available to all Nigerians. Government should ensure strict compliance to PTF directives on wearing of facemask by all Nigerians.