Ghana's covid-19 fight: A second wave could be catastrophic
It's almost ten months since the Covid-19 pandemic reached our shores on March 12. As of November 2, there was confirmed 48,200 positive cases of Covid-19 since the outbreak of the disease in the country. In the course of last week, active cases were in tens averaging 25 new cases per day. This is in sharp contrast with what many saw as a decline in the number of active cases, now going up again recording 620 cases as of yesterday. Ghana is recording a steady rise in cases.
This according to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) is not a welcoming development. In the same vein, I doubt Ghanaians are comfortable with this rise in cases once more. A second wave of the pandemic could be catastrophic than the first if people recklessly disregard the safety protocols. We can attest to the fact that; people are no more observing the precautionary measures. Initially, they were adhering to the protocols religiously but have now disregarded it.
As citizens, it may interest us to know that a second wave of the pandemic is currently underway in some countries. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the number of Covid-19 cases in Europe grew by a million in the short span of ten days, inching up the total number of reported cases to seven million. For example, Spain has reimposed curfew in a bid to curtail a massive surge in the Coronavirus cases. America is also experiencing its third wave of the Covid-19.
Cases have also risen to alarming and exponential proportions, particularly in some states in North Dakota. Austria and Greece in recent weeks are also having their cases surged. Currently, Iran is also experiencing its third and most deadly wave of the coronavirus pandemic. According to the BBC, Hong Kong is also experiencing its third wave. It is instructive to note that, Hong Kong was considered a poster child in its ability to keep its number of infections down despite sharing a border with mainland China, where the first case was recorded.
Irrespective of the above exposure, Hong Kong managed to avoid a total lockdown when most countries were on their knees. But unfortunately, the virus has struck yet again with another message to send that its dynamism cannot be underestimated. It remains an indisputable that, on the fight against the virus, Ghana has been ranked as the third most successful country to tackle the pandemic head on.
This success or commendation, tickles the fancy of certain countries including some powerful and affluent ones. Nonetheless, it shouldn't paint a complacent picture in our minds because the virus is a virus with international qualifications. This is the singular reason and the buttressing fact, not only our leaders in this part of the world haven't won the fight hands down but also no economy has won the fight outright. It's a fight that's started and getting restarted yet again. Hence, our fight as a country should be geared towards collaborative efforts to defeat the virus. We can achieve this through compliance and adherence!
Ghana has been spared the developments and necessary restrictions such as imposing night-time curfews and partial lockdown, declaring state of emergencies among others some affected countries have had to take, all in the bid to contain the virus. I believe that it's the effectiveness of government policies, citizen's co-operation and God's abundant grace that has brought us this far. And now more than ever, we should quicken the pace of our march towards the complete eradication and extinction of this deadly bioweapon, Covid-19.
Presently, we can bear witness to how people are no more observing the Covid-19 safety protocols. We find ourselves in country in which life is an opportunity cost to politics and carelessness must expect the result from the research conducted by West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) & Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) suggesting that almost 1. 2million people are dangerously exposed to the Coronavirus again.
Many people are ignoring the advice for adherence to the Covid-19 safety protocols, particularly the wearing of face masks in public. The general excuse is that the virus has been conquered and, therefore, posed no further threat. That development poses a threat to the strides made in the fight against Covid-19, and the fear in some circles is that Ghana could experience a resurgence in active cases if the protocols continue to be disregarded.
In the midst of numerous political activities, the political actors must strictly adhere the Covid-19 protocols. The party sympathizers must not rejoice over the low case count and throw caution to the wind in the name of politics. If we do our part and continue to ask for God's protection and intervention, then we don't have to go the same way as Europe and America.
Let us continue to adhere to the safety protocols instituted to stem the spread of the Covid-19. For with such exercise of caution, we shall entirely conquer the virus. This will go a long way to alleviate our plight as citizens and restore confidence to the economy. Cases are steadily rising but still Ghana will rise.
This according to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) is not a welcoming development. In the same vein, I doubt Ghanaians are comfortable with this rise in cases once more. A second wave of the pandemic could be catastrophic than the first if people recklessly disregard the safety protocols. We can attest to the fact that; people are no more observing the precautionary measures. Initially, they were adhering to the protocols religiously but have now disregarded it.
As citizens, it may interest us to know that a second wave of the pandemic is currently underway in some countries. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the number of Covid-19 cases in Europe grew by a million in the short span of ten days, inching up the total number of reported cases to seven million. For example, Spain has reimposed curfew in a bid to curtail a massive surge in the Coronavirus cases. America is also experiencing its third wave of the Covid-19.
Cases have also risen to alarming and exponential proportions, particularly in some states in North Dakota. Austria and Greece in recent weeks are also having their cases surged. Currently, Iran is also experiencing its third and most deadly wave of the coronavirus pandemic. According to the BBC, Hong Kong is also experiencing its third wave. It is instructive to note that, Hong Kong was considered a poster child in its ability to keep its number of infections down despite sharing a border with mainland China, where the first case was recorded.
Irrespective of the above exposure, Hong Kong managed to avoid a total lockdown when most countries were on their knees. But unfortunately, the virus has struck yet again with another message to send that its dynamism cannot be underestimated. It remains an indisputable that, on the fight against the virus, Ghana has been ranked as the third most successful country to tackle the pandemic head on.
This success or commendation, tickles the fancy of certain countries including some powerful and affluent ones. Nonetheless, it shouldn't paint a complacent picture in our minds because the virus is a virus with international qualifications. This is the singular reason and the buttressing fact, not only our leaders in this part of the world haven't won the fight hands down but also no economy has won the fight outright. It's a fight that's started and getting restarted yet again. Hence, our fight as a country should be geared towards collaborative efforts to defeat the virus. We can achieve this through compliance and adherence!
Ghana has been spared the developments and necessary restrictions such as imposing night-time curfews and partial lockdown, declaring state of emergencies among others some affected countries have had to take, all in the bid to contain the virus. I believe that it's the effectiveness of government policies, citizen's co-operation and God's abundant grace that has brought us this far. And now more than ever, we should quicken the pace of our march towards the complete eradication and extinction of this deadly bioweapon, Covid-19.
Presently, we can bear witness to how people are no more observing the Covid-19 safety protocols. We find ourselves in country in which life is an opportunity cost to politics and carelessness must expect the result from the research conducted by West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) & Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) suggesting that almost 1. 2million people are dangerously exposed to the Coronavirus again.
Many people are ignoring the advice for adherence to the Covid-19 safety protocols, particularly the wearing of face masks in public. The general excuse is that the virus has been conquered and, therefore, posed no further threat. That development poses a threat to the strides made in the fight against Covid-19, and the fear in some circles is that Ghana could experience a resurgence in active cases if the protocols continue to be disregarded.
In the midst of numerous political activities, the political actors must strictly adhere the Covid-19 protocols. The party sympathizers must not rejoice over the low case count and throw caution to the wind in the name of politics. If we do our part and continue to ask for God's protection and intervention, then we don't have to go the same way as Europe and America.
Let us continue to adhere to the safety protocols instituted to stem the spread of the Covid-19. For with such exercise of caution, we shall entirely conquer the virus. This will go a long way to alleviate our plight as citizens and restore confidence to the economy. Cases are steadily rising but still Ghana will rise.
The author, Bright Philip Donkor is the African Journalists for Economic Opportunity Training (AJEOT-2020) Best Article Writer; a Young Activist, Social Commentator, Columnist and a Prolific Feature Writer.
Email - bpdonkor@gmail.com
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