COVID-19: Difficult times ahead – Bureau of Public Safety warns Ghanaians

The Bureau of Public Safety believes that just like many European countries having been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ghana will soon suffer a similar situation.

According to the bureau, both government and the citizenry have thrown wind to caution, acting unconcerned and completely disregarding all safety protocols put in place to fight the pandemic.

“When it comes to Ghanaians, it is very disturbing how we manage the virus.
If what we hear of the new variant is true, then we should prepare for harder times”, Executive Director of the Bureau, Nana Yaw Akwada warned.

The bureau expressed their dissatisfaction on the work of government in enforcing strict adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols. “We are not satisfied with government’s work”, he said in an interview with Samuel Eshun, host of the Happy Morning Show aired on e.TVGhana and Happy 98.9 FM.

The bureau revealed they closed their desk on COVID-19 surveillance and advocacy in 2020 because they were not satisfied with the responses of government, and its information sharing on the pandemic.

Information from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) indicates that
multiple COVID-19 variants are circulating globally. In the United Kingdom (UK), a new variant has emerged with an unusually large number of mutations. This variant seems to spread more easily and quickly than other variants. This variant was first detected in September 2020 and is now highly prevalent in London and Southeast England. It has since been detected in numerous countries around the world, including the United States and Canada.

In South Africa, another variant has emerged independently of the variant detected in the UK. This variant, originally detected in early October, shares some mutations with the variant detected in the UK. There have been cases caused by this variant outside of South Africa. This variant seems to spread more easily and quickly than other variants. Currently, there is no evidence that it causes more severe illness or increased risk of death.

Another variant recently emerged in Nigeria. CDC also is monitoring this strain but, at this time, there is no evidence to indicate this variant is causing more severe illness or increased spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria.

By: Joel Sanco