Senior Research Fellow at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Dr. Kofi Bonney, has commended President Akufo-Addo for reintroducing restrictions on social gatherings to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Dr. Bonney was of the view that the President’s directive was a step in the right direction as the new Delta COVID-19 variant is highly transmissible.
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Speaking on the President’s 26th address to the nation, Dr. Kofi Bonney shared with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show: “The measures put in place by the government will help. The ban on public gatherings will help and especially the mandatory wearing of nose masks will be very beneficial.
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At Noguchi, we always publicize the need to wear nose masks and wear them well. So, it is commendable that the President has put these measures in place. It is very important that post-event receptions have also been banned because it is at these events that people let down their guards; avoiding social distancing and the wearing of nose masks”.
Dr. Kofi Bonney, however, noted that the importation of the Delta variants from the airports must also be checked.
“People travelling from high-risk areas such as India must be isolated for about a week when they arrive even though they may have certificates. They must also be tested after a week. This because the virus has an incubative period and as such symptoms do not show immediately”, the Senior Research Fellow recommended.
President’s 26th address on COVID-19
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President Nana Akufo-Addo has once again announced restrictions pertaining to public gatherings in the country.
According to him, this has been necessitated as the new COVID-19 strain, the Delta Variant is quickly spreading.
In his 26th address to the nation on measures to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, he emphasized: “To ensure that social gatherings do not become the sources of infections, the following must be adhered to by all at these gatherings:
-the wearing of masks continues to be mandatory, and persons must respect the enhanced hygiene protocols;
- all such events must be held in open air spaces;
- the duration of such events is limited to two (2) hours;
- there must be observance of the one (1) metre social distancing rule; and
handshakes must be avoided”.
He added that all “post-event receptions, particularly related to weddings and funerals are banned.”
Noguchi raises concern
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Following new observations it made about the new delta variant of COVID-19, the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) of the University of Ghana, on Saturday, called on the government to take a second look at the state of adherence to COVID-19 preventive protocols and appropriate restrictions.
