Public Opinion Regarding Government Response to COVID-19: Case Study of a Large Commercial City in Nigeria

Introduction: government measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be effective without widespread compliance by the public. A greater understanding of citizens\u27 perceptions of these measures can help government agencies adapt their strategies to boost compliance. We examined citizens\u27 perceptions of government\u27s measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications on compliance using data from Onitsha city, Anambra State Nigeria. Methods: data was obtained through in-person interviews of 140 consenting adults in March 2020. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to summarize the data. Results: most participants (84.7%) doubted government\u27s ability to manage the COVID-19 outbreak, raising concerns about ineffective governance (25.7%) and inadequate health facilities (20.7%). However, participants expressed a favorable perception of school closures (92.3%) and a ban on large gatherings (83.9%), driven mostly by the need to contain the COVID-19 and avoid its spread. But, they were generally indifferent about the closure of the markets and workplaces due to concerns for food insecurity and lack of government\u27s relief programs. Participants who had a positive perception of the ban on large gatherings were more likely to have high knowledge and to adopt good COVID-19 preventive practices. Conclusion: the study showed a lack of public\u27s confidence in the government\u27s ability to manage the pandemic. This provides an opportunity for the city government and the public to reflect on the existing relationships, build mutual trust, and devise collaborative engagement that will boost compliance and help contain the devastating impact of COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 related knowledge, attitude and practices in a Southeastern city in Nigeria: The Baseline

Although guidelines and recommendations for the prevention of COVID-19 are in place, it is vital to assess how well people know and practice them, as well as people's attitude towards these measures to inform robust interventions. This study examined COVID-19 related knowledge, attitude, and preventive practices. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 140 adult residents of Onitsha, Anambra state in March 2020 before the state's index case and the mandatory lockdown. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to describe COVID-19 KAP, information gaps and needs, and associations between KAP and demographic characteristics. About 60.7% of respondents had high COVID-19 knowledge, 56.4% had a good attitude towards COVID-19 management, and 53.6% adopted good COVID-19 prevention practices. Participants with bachelor/postgraduate degrees had higher than average COVID-19 knowledge (15.42 ± 0.57, p < 0.0001), attitude (1.11 ± 0.10, p < 0.0025), and prevention practice (5.02 ± 0.32, p < 0.0005) scores. Over half of the participants correctly identified virus as the cause of COVID-19 (60%, p < 0.01). About three-quarters of the participants (75%, p < 0.0001) indicated needing more information on COVID-19. A moderate proportion of our study population (53.6–60.7%) had good COVID-19 KAP. Our study findings can inform future COVID-19 program planning to ensure a more targeted and effective intervention strategy to prevent and control the disease spread among residents of Onitsha city