- Title: Nigerians shake off coronavirus lockdown boredom with group exercise
- Date: 13th April 2020
- Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (APRIL 9, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE EXERCISING ON THE HIGHWAY AND ON A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE EXERCISING IN THE PARKING LOT OF A SHOPPING MALL PEOPLE WALKING AND SEATED AROUND A CLOSED SHOPPING MALL (SOUNDBITE) (English) TRADER, AKINYEMI BUSAYO, SAYING: ''Since the lockdown, we are just at home doing nothing, no work, no food, nothing nothing, so we decided to come and exercise our body instead of us sitting at home and just getting fat.'' VARIOUS OF PEOPLE EXERCISING ON A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE EXERCISING VARIOUS OF PEOPLE EXERCISING ON THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) BUSINESS WOMAN, FAVOUR DANIEL, SAYING: ''There is a risk of contacting it as we are here, but as a matter of fact we are taking precautions, we are taking a social distance within ourselves, then after the exercise, some of us have the sanitizer that we use to sanitize our hands after the whole exercise.'' (SOUNDBITE) (English) STUDENT, AGBOOLA SABINAT, SAYING: ''For me I believe it is not yet here in this my vicinity, so I don't know, but I am sure it is not yet in this vicinity because if it is here, they might build an isolation centre, we have much land here so I am sure it is not yet here, but we are still scared though, everyone is scared, like my mom she is scared, she is like I should not go out for this workout, that they said everybody should be at home, that we should just keep cool and stay at home, but I can't.'' VARIOUS OF MAN HOLDING A LADY WHILE SHE DOES SIT-UPS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WORKING OUT
- Embargoed: 27th April 2020 10:36
- Keywords: Abuja's new fitness fanaticism Nigeria's capital city of Abuja coronavirus lockdown moderate social distancing
- Location: ABUJA, NIGERIA
- City: ABUJA, NIGERIA
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001C9BQW5Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The deserted major roads of Nigeria's administrative hub have been turned into an outdoor gym by the city's bored and the brave.
Abuja is on coronavirus lockdown and vehicles are mostly gone. In their place: hundreds of people doing group workouts with little concern for the disease that has now killed more than 100,000 people and infected at least 1.7 million in more than 200 countries and territories.
Nigeria itself has confirmed over 300 cases, and 10 people have died.
''Since the lock-down, we are just at home doing nothing, no work, no food, nothing nothing, so we decided to come and exercise our body instead of us sitting at home and just getting fat,'' said Akinyemi Busayo, a trader.
Behind Busayo, dozens of people lined either side of a footbridge spanning one of Abuja's massive highways, doing sit-ups side-by-side as a stream of runners jogged back and forth between them.
Nigeria's lockdown affects three regions: the capital, the megacity of Lagos, the epicentre of the country's outbreak, and its neighbouring state of Ogun.
The government has ordered people to remain indoors and isolate themselves unless they need essentials such as food, water or medical services.
But enforcement has varied from the draconian - with security agents beating and arresting even health workers they found outside - to non-existent, driven home by the sportswear-clad crowds in Abuja.
While tedium has given some a newfound enthusiasm for fitness, others have their doubts about the risks.
''There is a risk of contacting it as we are here, but as a matter of fact we are taking precautions, we are taking a social distance within ourselves, then after the exercise, some of us have the sanitizer that we use to sanitize our hands after the whole exercise,'' Favour Daniel says.
''For me I believe it is not yet here in this my vicinity, so I don't know, but I am sure it is not yet in this vicinity because if it is here, they might build an isolation centre, we have much land here so I am sure it is not yet here, but we are still scared though, everyone is scared, like my mom she is scared, she is like I should not go out for this work-out, that they said everybody should be at home, that we should just keep cool and stay at home, but I can't,'' said Agboola Sabinat, a student, who suggested the coronavirus could not be present because there was no isolation centre nearby.
Some of the exercisers used hand sanitizer after the workout, but a growing body of studies are showing that even moderate social distancing of 1.5-2 metres might not be enough where sports are concerned.
But that is not enough to deter people: one trainer pressed his hands onto a woman's bare knees, stabilizing her as she did sit-ups, her face coming within inches of his.
Abuja's new fitness fanaticism trumps any government efforts to keep people apart.
(Production: Abraham Achirga, Angela Ukomadu) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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