Dr. John Amuasi, a global health expert has cautioned Ghanaians against the complacency toward observing the Covid-19 safety protocols put in place, as government has eased restrictions.
His comments comes on the back of the worrying reports about an increasing disregard for Covid-19 safety protocols as restrictions are gradually being eased.
The health expert who doubles as a lecturer at the Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, KNUST said this whiles speaking with the media where he explained that, the continued easing of Covid-19 restrictions had a psychological effect on people who now believe there was no cause for alarm.
“This speaks to one really important thing, that is, how the virus seems to be behaving slightly differently in Africa than it does in the rest of the world. Right from the beginning, we were a bit skeptical and there was the expectation that many bodies will be littering the streets of many African capitals but we did not. It made me to become a bit skeptical that we will eventually see this, I think if this would have happened it would have happened some time ago.
“Now what is important is the paradox. Now the paradox is this, we are easing up and when things begin to ease up, the mind tells you that things are getting better. We getting back to our normal work routines, people are meeting up in churches, and they having the weddings. When these things happen, people get the impression that things are getting better.”
He further suggested that, more information be given and measures be taken to remind the people of the need to stay safe since the virus infection rate may be actively rising.
“Rather, as things begin to ease up you need to become more stringent. But the stringency here, moves from the public level kind of constraints that are put by the government and the authorities like, meeting together and those kind of things to the individual level of constraint which will be the personal hygiene.The personal hygiene and these other measures will be pushed forward via legislation, community kind of policing and the continuous messaging from religious leaders, opinion leaders and so on.”
Dr Amausi further warned of the consequences the nation might face if we do not take responsibility.
“Within a few weeks, if we do not ramp up the messaging and get people to take personal responsibility, we might see a change from our otherwise not too bad looking picture right now and I am very much concerned about it.”
Two weeks ago, President Nana Akufo-Addo in his 16th address to the nation, to update Ghanaians on measures taken against coronavirus, lamented about the fact that some Ghanaians had abandoned the protocols, especially the wearing of the face masks put in place to help curb the virus and described the fall in the adherence as alarming. The report came from a survey which was conducted by the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
