In recent years, the concept of sustainability has emerged as a crucial framework for addressing pressing global challenges, including public health issues. Sustainability encompasses the interplay between social, economic, and environmental factors to ensure the well-being of present and future generations. In the context of public health research, sustainability provides a lens through which to evaluate and address the risks and impacts of infectious diseases, such as COVID-19 pandemic. In the year 2019, there was a report of a newly identified respiratory tract infection-related disease in Wuhan, located in Hubei Province, China [1]. This mysterious ailment surfaced and unfortunately resulted in the loss of numerous lives. In January 2020, more than 2,000 deaths and infections were reported in the first 10 days of the outbreak, after a series of in-depth analyses of a new virus. It has been reported that acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causal agent responsible for the respiratory infection, which was identified in the lower respiratory tract [2]. A panel of virus taxonomists from across the globe has officially named the disease resulting from SARS-CoV-2 as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) [3]. Back in 2003, cases of coronavirus were reported in Guangdong Province, China, and were identified as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which infected around 8,000 individuals, causing 774 deaths in July of the same year [4]. It is worth noting that there have been numerous other types of coronaviruses reported in the past, and the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is the third. As of February 11, 2020, more than 4,000 deaths have been reported in 114 countries, with more than 118,000 people estimated to be infected. Regarding the spread of COVID-19, on March 11, 2020, the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the virus as a pandemic and urged all nations to take essential steps to contain and halt the further spread of the virus, as there was no available vaccine at that time [5–6]. On February 27, 2020, Nigeria recorded its first case of COVID-19, which was reported by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) [7]. It is well-established that the COVID-19 pandemic has had significant social and economic impacts around the world. The pandemic has led to widespread job losses, particularly in industries such as hospitality, tourism, and retail. It has also disrupted education systems, with many schools and universities were forced to close or switch to online learning. Additionally, the pandemic has had a significant impact on mental health, with many people experiencing increased stress, anxiety, and depression as a result of social isolation, financial insecurity, and other pandemic-related stressors. Several states also implemented measures such as social distancing, wearing face masks, regularly washing hands, and implementing lockdowns or curfews to prevent the rapid spread of the virus [8]. Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, has also been impacted by the outbreak, with over 266,000 confirmed cases and more than 3,000 deaths as of 19 July 2023 (WHO). Lagos, with its diverse population and dynamic urban environment, provides an ideal backdrop for examining these interconnections. The city's population density, coupled with its socioeconomic diversity, creates an intricate web of potential influences on both temperature measurements and COVID-19 prevalence. By statistically assessing respondents' temperature, COVID-19 status, and selected socio-demographic variables in Lagos. In response to the pandemic, both individual citizens as well as various ministries and parastatals embraced the new normal approach by working remotely from home. Additionally, travel, both domestic and international was limited, and businesses, offices, religious places, schools, and universities were closed down along with the prohibition of public gatherings.
Symptoms such as cold, cough, nausea, elevated temperature, diarrhea, and fever, among others, have been identified as indicative of COVID-19. To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, the use of non-contact infrared thermometers to check individuals with elevated body temperature has become one of the infection control measures, as high body temperature is the main symptom of the disease. There have been few studies conducted on using temperature measurement as a means to identify individuals with high body temperature for the purpose of infectious disease infection control. A temperature measurement study was conducted to provide environmental stability data for SARS-CoV-2 under controlled humidity conditions for various common surfaces [9]. Temperature measurement has also been used in another study as an effective tool to aid in disease diagnosis and infectious disease surveillance [10]. During the COVID-19 pandemic, temperature screening became a key method for detecting the disease, as it is often one of the earliest and most prevalent symptoms [11]. Past studies have established the influence of temperature on infectious diseases, including respiratory infections. Elevated temperatures often coincide with increased viral activity due to factors such as reduced humidity and weakened immune responses. The link between body temperature and COVID-19 susceptibility has been explored, highlighting the potential role of fever as an early symptom of the disease. The Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in Sierra Leone during 2014 revealed that women who exhibited fever and self-reported symptoms, along with complications, displayed a higher likelihood of testing positive for EVD infection, as indicated by previous research conducted [12]. In contrast to EVD, the symptoms of COVID-19 resemble those of malaria and several other infectious diseases. The aim of this study is to evaluate respondents’ temperature, COVID-19 status and some selected demographic variables as a means of controlling the risk of SARS-Cov-2 infection.