COVID-19 UPDATE: Ghana Govt bans public gatherings, workplaces to employ shift-systems
At the end of his 23rd address to the nation on steps to combat the spread of COVID-19, Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo restored prohibitions on concerts, theatrical events, funerals, weddings, and celebrations till further notice.
While giving his message on Sunday, January 31, 2021, the president also stated that private burials with no more than twenty-five (25) persons can be held if the social distancing, cleanliness, and mask-wearing regulations are followed.
“Our land and sea borders remain closed,” he stated emphatically.
Even if these actions were painful at the time, Akufo-Addo noted that they resulted in a favourable scenario for the country’s initial war against the new Coronavirus, and that “we have to return to them.”
“Public and private workplaces must implement a shift-system for employees, in addition to the usage of virtual platforms for business or work.” Conferences and workshops can be held with all of the necessary protocols in place. I do, however, advocate for the use of virtual platforms for such interactions.
“Restaurants should offer take-out options and eliminate sitting services as much as possible. The Ghana Football Association and the National Sports Authority should ensure that the twenty-five per cent capacity guideline is followed at our stadiums, with people adhering to the social distancing rule and wearing masks,” President Akufo-Addo added.
Finally, he advised leaders of various religious organizations, such as our churches and mosques, to “enforce to the letter” the protocols relating to attendance, such as “the two-hour duration, one-meter social distancing, mask-wearing, use of sanitisers, and the presence of veronica buckets, liquid soap, and rolls of tissue paper.”
