The Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) has set up the COVID-19 Advisory Committee to educate the staff, students and members of the institution’s host communities about the novel Coronavirus and how to avoid getting infected.
In an interaction with the traditional rulers of the host communities, the chairman of the FUTO COVID-19 Advisory Committee, Prof. Patrick Agbasi said the disease could be prevented to through regular washing of hands with soap in running water, use of hand sanitisers, covering of nose and mouth while coughing and sneezing.
He also advised them to avoid touching their faces, noses and eyes and surfaces, large crowd/gathering (social distancing) in addition to staying two metres (six feet) away from other people.
He said the outreach was part of the social corporate responsibility of the university to its host communities.
The professor advised members of the communities with symptoms of the disease to isolate themselves, keep away from family members and friends and to call the contact phone numbers that were contained in the flyers made available to the traditional rulers for distribution to members of the communities, including the website:covid19ncdc.gov.ng.
Also speaking, Secretary of the Committee, Mrs. Uche Bright Nwelue explained that the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Francis Eze set it up to arm the institution with adequate information on the virus as part of the preventive strategies to tackle it.
The monarchs praised the institution for taking the lead over others in the crusade against the corona virus pandemic.
The traditional rulers present were: Eze K.E. Odu (Agwa Ukwu I of Dindi Ihiagwa), Eze Sir L.I Ajoku (Nnaochie 3 of Ihiagwa Ancient Kingdom), Eze Enyinnaya (Nzeukwu I of Obinze), Eze G. Ejimogu (Anunu I of Umuanunu Obinze), Eze R.N Osuji (Ezeudo I of Eziokele Eziobodo), Eze L.I.N Okoro (Ezeoha 3 of Eziobodo).