Covid-19: Lifting Lockdown Doesn't Mean COVID-19 Is Over - Deputy Minister

He said lifting of the lockdown in Accra, Kumasi, Tema and Kasoa was in the right direction since the government was able to scale-up effectively the tracing of persons who had contacted infected persons and quarantined those who tested positive.

The President took that decision through the consultations of Expects, Executive Committee of the Ghana Health Services and other stakeholders on the rationale behind the lifting of the lockdown, he said.

The Deputy Minister who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Akontombra Constituency said Ghanaians should pay attention to the directives by the government and the Ghana Health Services despite the lifting of the ban.

“Lifting the ban does not mean the COVID-19 pandemic is over, we must adhere to the social distancing, uses of hand sanitizers, washing of hands with soap under running water and protocols on loading of passengers especially the local transport system,” he added.

He noted that despite the lift of the ban, the local weekly markets in the region would still remain closed and drivers and passengers entering the region would pass through the necessary COVID-19 preventive measures put in place by both the Regional Health Directorate and Regional Security Council.

He said the various Municipal and District Assemblies in the region have been directed to provide the necessary measures and logistics to fight the virus, though the region had not recorded any case.

“I assure you that the 20 suspected cases traced in the region tested negative,'' he added.

---GNA