Dr Michael Owusu a virologist at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research says there is a need for security officers to be in town to enforce the wearing of masks and social distancing protocol.
Even though the partial lockdown of Accra and Kumasi has been lifted, President Akufo-Addo has advised that everyone puts on a nose mask and observe social distancing.
Dr Owusu says the lifting of the lockdown will make no impact if Ghanaians abuse it and refuse to observe all the necessary measures which have been provided by the Ghana Health Service.
He believes that now is the time we need the security officers more to enforce the wearing of masks and social distancing protocol.
“We should put in surveillance in all our public transport, if someone is infected and enters a public transport and we are doing contact tracing and you don’t have a list how do you do that. The disease is in the system and is trying to get hold of it and if that happens we will have a hike in people at the hospital. The police and all security officials must ensure that all the measures be followed, if you go out without a sanitizer or nose mask you must be sent back home, I don’t think the security leaving the streets now is the best decision”.
Residents in Accra and Kumasi are free to move about currently but have been advised to be very careful and observe all measures to ensure they do not contract COVID-19.
Ever since President Akufo-Addo announced the decision to lift the lockdown, there has been mixed reactions as some believe it is a good decision which will ease the financial burden on them.
Others also think this could have a negative effect on many as it could aid the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Ghana’s case count as of April 19, 2020, was 1,042 with 9 deaths and 99 recoveries.
