AN EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT OF ICT ON COVID-19 HEALTH AWARENESS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Coronavirus (Covid-19) is an infectious illness that causes respiratory infections ranging from a common cold to severe respiratory difficulties. It began in December 2019 at the Hunan seafood market in Wuhan, China, where live bats, snakes, raccoon dogs, and other wild creatures were sold (Shereen et al., 2020), and the World Health Organization designated it a pandemic on March 11, 2020 (Shereen et al., 2020). (World Health Organization, 2020). The COVID19 outbreak posed a global burden as well as a transnational health hazard. By June 15, 2020, the epidemic had spread to over 200 countries, infecting over seven million people and generating a global health crisis that would cause fundamental societal upheavals. The virus, on the other hand, is contagious through contact with affected people, objects, and surfaces.

With the spread of the virus in most regions of the world, the world is currently experiencing an unprecedented crisis, which poses a challenge for countries in how to manage this crisis, and ICT will inevitably play a vital role in terms of social distancing policies (tracking and tracing) in terms of sustaining communication between departments managing the crisis. In view of the unprecedented reality that the world is witnessing today, information and communication technology (ICT) is more important than ever to sustain communication and coordination between public safety officials, critical institutions, and crisis management elements.

As internet and information networks affect the efficiency, security, and continuity of information passage for the purpose of developing and making decisions in emergency situations, ICT is used in crisis management centers to facilitate the exchange of information, which aids in decision-making. Modernization of communications and the employment of specialized information technology tools will help to improve the dependability of information sharing between entities responsible for national security.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In today's global network society, information networks powered by information and communication technologies (ICTs) underpin social structure and organizational systems (Castells, 2000). ICTs, which are broadly defined here to include the internet, platforms, networks, phones, apps, and databases, as well as underlying infrastructure, are a critical component of the current social order, especially during the COVID19 global pandemic. ICTs are crucial for more than just detecting, monitoring, diagnosing, controlling, treating, and interpreting pandemics (Wilson & Jumbert, 2018). Fundamentally, ICTs are our best hope for preserving social order during a pandemic.

The pandemic was unusual because the world was completely unaware of such a virus. At the time of discovering the nature of this virus, the world government is faced with the challenge of educating the masses about it, its causes, and preventive measures ranging from social distancing, the use of sanitizers, the cleaning of constantly in contact surfaces, the use of face masks, and so on (Shereen et al., 2020). However, without the assistance of ICT, accomplishing this seemed nearly impossible.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate of the impact of ict on covid-19 health awareness. Specifically, other objectives of this study are:

i.          To ascertain the importance of ICT in covid-19 health awareness.

ii.        To assess the benefits of using ICT in covid-19 health awareness.

iii.      To ascertain the ICT means of information used in covid-19 awareness.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

i.          How important is ICT in covid-19 health awareness?

ii.        What are the benefits of using ICT in covid-19 health awareness?

iii.      What are the ICT means of information used in covid-19 health awareness?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this study would be incredibly beneficial to the government, organizations, and private sector owners, as they expound on the tremendous effective roles and worth of ICT as a tool for reaching out to the globe at large. This study will also be significant to scholars and researchers as this study will serve as an existing material for further studies and future reference.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will be focused on the evaluation of the impact of ict on covid-19 health awareness. This study will specifically be focused on ascertaining the importance of ICT in covid-19 health awareness, assessing the benefits of using ICT in covid-19 health awareness, ascertaining the ICT means of information used in covid-19 awareness. This study will be using residents of Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State as enrolled participants for the survey.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study will be limited to the evaluation of the impact of ict on covid-19 health awareness. This study will also be specifically limited to ascertaining the importance of ICT in covid-19 health awareness, assessing the benefits of using ICT in covid-19 health awareness, ascertaining the ICT means of information used in covid-19 awareness. This study will be limited to residents of Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State as enrolled participants for the survey thus further research is needed before the results of this study can be used in other parts of the country.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Impact: a marked effect or influence

Evaluation: the making of a judgement about the amount, number, or value of something; assessment.

ICT: information and communications technology (ICT) is an extensional term for information technology (IT) that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals) and computers, as well as necessary enterprise software, middleware, storage and audiovisual, that enable users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate information.

Covid-19: It is also known as corona-virus), which is spread primarily by contact with infectious material (such as respiratory droplets) or infected materials or surfaces. It is characterized by fever, cough, and shortness of breath, which can lead to pneumonia and respiratory failure.

Health awareness: Awareness is about developing an understanding of one's health needs and the potential to be vulnerable to further episodes of illness.

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