The Coronavirus (COVID-19) safety protocols in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, particularly the Takoradi Market Circle area, appears to have been thrown to the dogs, and it would only require state security to strictly enforce the protocols.
The reckless abandon of the safety protocols by the people, most guilty being the market women, hawkers, taxi, trotro drivers and passengers, is an eyesore and does not speak well of people who cherish their health.
Considering the rate at which the coronavirus is said to have mutated into new strains, with a higher transmission rate, the expectation was that people would diligently adhere to the safety protocols by social distancing and wearing of the nose masks.
The Effia Nkwanta Government Hospital, for instance, has reported 30 positive cases of the coronavirus over the weekend. Regrettably however, the opposite appears to be the situation in Takoradi Market Circle.
A walk by this reporter to several places, including the lorry stations, markets, shops and food vendors, revealed a bad spectacle of reckless abandon of the safety protocols by the people.
At the Takoradi Agona Nkwanta Kojokrom lorry station, the story of drivers, mates and passengers throwing the COVID-19 safety protocols to the dogs is regrettable.
About 90% of the drivers and passengers this reporter spotted were not using nose masks as they board the buses. As expected of the drivers to strictly ensure that passengers aboard their bus were in nose masks, they seem not to care.
The simple reason is that they (drivers) are not in masks resulting in their difficulty to enforce the safety protocols.
Of the about ten vehicles this reporter watched move out of the lorry station, only a few passengers were masked-up. Others either have their nose masks hanging around their chins or did not have any.
As for the driver’s mates, none was spotted in nose masks, putting their lives at risk while encountering passengers every day. When this reporter asked one of the mates why he was not in mask, his response was disconcerting.
Mante (not his real name) responded “why should I wear mask?” he asked this reporter.
On Sunday, during the live telecast of the President’s 22 COVID-19 address, Nana Akufo-Addo told the nation to take their health serious because the virus was spreading daily.
According to the President, there had been a 114% increase in COVID cases from about 900 to 1,924 in two weeks. Thirteen out of sixteen regions had recorded active cases and the country’s health infrastructure was being overwhelmed.
He further added there had been 200 new COVID infections daily and rising, with severe cases increasing by 567% from 18 just a week ago to 120.
This statistics, as revealed by the President, should obviously put fear in residents of Takoradi, but the opposite is the story. With the reckless abandon of safety protocols at the Takoradi Agona-Nkwanta and Kojokrom lorry station, it appears the government and health professionals would have to involve the heads of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) at the station and other stations to ensure the safety protocols are adhered to.
Another issue this reporter, however, observed in his rounds, are that apart from the commercial banks that still have Veronica buckets to ensure customers do wash their hands before entering the banking hall, provision stores and food vendors that hitherto had veronica buckets placed at their entrances have discarded this basic safety protocol, an indication that the safety protocols are not being observed at most of the provision stores and other shops.
The post COVID-19: Drivers, passengers throw safety protocols to the dogs in Takoradi appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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