PSYCHO-SOCIAL IMPLICATION OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC: ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKERS (A STUDY OF EKOSODIN COMMUNITY IN OVIA NORTH EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

ABSTRACT
The study examined the psycho-social implication of Covid-19 pandemic: role of social workers (a case study of Ekosodin community in Ovia North-East local government area of Edo State. The objectives of the study were to examine the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the psycho-social well-being of affected persons; determine the extent to which Covid-19 pandemic have any impact on the social life of affected person, and examine the extent to which social work intervention mechanism can help assist people affected by Covid-19 pandemic.
The study adopted the descriptive research design while data were collected for the study with the aid of both structured questionnaire and interview in Ekosodin community. A sample size of 100 respondents were selected. The study employed the use of frequency tables, percentage and chisquare
(X2) in analyzing the data for the study. The findings of the study revealed that there is a
significant relationship between Covid-19 pandemic and the psycho-social well-being of affected individuals; there is a significant relationship between Covid-19 pandemic and the social life of affected persons; and there is no significant relationship between social work intervention mechanisms and relief of Covid-19 pandemic trauma.
The study then recommends that, since the development of the nation depends on the stability and well-being of the family. Government to ensure that the homes are properly planned and developed to be able to function effectively for the overall development of the nation; policy changes should be effected to provide legislative and budgetary support for traditional healing systems. These systems must be recognized as credible alternatives to the mainstream
psychotherapies; social work is a helping profession inherently saddled with the responsibility of enhancing the well-being of individuals, groups, and community members through its use of social work methods. In response to the mission of the profession, social workers should strengthen human functioning, enhance the effectiveness of the structures in the society that will provide
resources opportunity for its citizens; people should avoid social gathering, keep social distance and adhere to the WHO guidelines in order to reduce the spread of coronavirus disease; social worker should strive more in applying their intervention mechanism to help assist people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic; and social workers should try as much as possible to their duties known to people; and be more proactive in community social work.