Covid-19: Disregard For Preventive Protocols Unacceptable

President Akufo-Addo has decried the fast decline in the compliance level of the COVID-19 preventive protocols in various parts of the country.

He said, this development is “unacceptable” and could reverse the gains the country has made in the fight against COVID-19.

Delivering his 16^th national update on the country's fight against COVID-19, the president said the COVID-19 preventive measures must become the norm until there is a declaration of no case in the country.

“The high compliance rate with mask-wearing of persons surveyed by the Ghana Health Service in some selected areas of Accra, to which I referred optimistically in my last address, has, according to a new survey by the same Service, fallen alarmingly. This is not acceptable, as the enhanced hygiene, mask-wearing and social distancing protocols must now be central features of our lives, and they must continue to remain so for some time to come, until we see to the elimination of the virus from our country,” the president said.

He further cautioned that law enforcement agencies will deal with persons who are found to be in disregard of the etiquette since their actions stand to endanger the lives of many others.

He said persons found culpable will be dealt with irrespective of their tribe or religious affiliation.

“Let me remind those amongst us, who want to continue to disregard these protocols, that severe sanctions exist in our laws for such persons, who will want to endanger the rest of the population through their actions and negligence. The law enforcement agencies will, where necessary, apply these measures without fear or favour, ill-will or malice, and without recourse to a person's ethnicity, gender or religion,” Akufo-Addo added.

The wearing of face masks has become mandatory because of the coronavirus pandemic.

An earlier survey conducted by the Ghana Health Service in Accra noted that 82 percent of the sampled population possessed face masks and had the intention to use them.

However, out of this number, the survey showed that only 44.3 percent of the sampled population use the face mask correctly.

The most recent COVID-19 update as announced by the President indicates that active cases are 1,059.

42,963 persons have recovered while 276 have died.

The cumulative total number of confirmed cases in Ghana is 44,298.

— citinewsroom