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Sunday, November 3, 2024

Dr Charles Brenya Wiafe-Akenten: Easing of some Covid-19 limits a humble attraction to the President


COVID-19 burdens 

COVID-19 would seem to have develop into the world’s selection a person public enemy not only in the space of overall health, but also in nearly all factors of human endeavours.

In other words and phrases, as a result of its broader implications and consequences beyond the health sector, the condition has become one of the key resources of load to the personal, family members, the business local community and indeed, governments all about the earth.

The pandemic has so far led to the decline of life in the 1000’s collapse of businesses and for that make a difference, career and cash flow reduction.

In addition, it has also expense the worldwide economic system substantial sums of funds and investments. Apart from the fatalities and the brief to very long time period financial challenges the illness has foisted on humanity, it is also regarded to have elevated social, emotional and psychological (SEP) distress on the particular person and family members.

The SEP distress is even anticipated to go up in the times and months ahead if the price of Covid-19 infections, dying and connected panic and panic do not drop significantly.

This trend is pretty stressing because SEP has large likely for psychological overall health although they are regretably and mostly not perceived as these types of till they development and climax into psychotic and other really serious psychological conditions. 

On your marks, get established, all set, goooo!!! 

As the Ministry of Finance (MoF), the Financial institution of Ghana (Bathroom), and money establishments roll out stimulus offers and the condition prepares to relieve some of the constraints imposed as a result of Covid-19, daily life is envisioned to step by step return to normalcy in the not also distance foreseeable future.

In anticipation of the easing of some of the restrictions on firms (inns, drinking bars, pubs and evening golf equipment and so forth.), religious activities and applications, ceremonies/events and all sorts of functions which have the prospective to direct to the collecting of significant range of folks, we ought to brace ourselves for possibly regular life or the ‘new normal’.

Either way, my problem to you is if you were being the President or the individual who has the remaining say in easing the limits, which of the measures will you sustain, relax or take out totally? 

As a result, which constraints must be eradicated fully (in any), which kinds really should be lessened and which kinds need to not be touched right until more detect.

If all of us ended up given the prospect to choose our tastes in terms of which ones should really be taken out, decreased or taken care of, we are most likely to have distinct opinions and preferences.

This is typical mainly because the factors we will get into account in arriving at a conclusion will differ in one particular way or the other.

Consequently, whilst some will get there at their decisions centered on a important aim evaluation of the troubles at hand (based on available facts), other people may well do so on the foundation of own or sectional curiosity, emotions or even on the foundation of malice.

Diverse desire and determination-generating

For instance, when it will come to the resumption of colleges, the Proprietors/ Proprietress and professionals of Non-public educational institutions in specific are probably to have various sights from all those who have or manage non-academic facilities.

A related circumstance is most likely to engage in out when it will come to the resumption of religious pursuits, reopening of enjoyment centres and all the unique organizations that have been afflicted in just one way or the other by the limits.

As a outcome of the diverse and conflicting desire, the first most vital difficulty that need to manual us as a nation in arriving at a decision must be the facts on the floor as far as an infection rates are concerned, the character of the distribute, demise amount, the problems and categorisations (gentle, extreme, important and so on.) of all those examined beneficial and any crucial pattern that has been observed by the screening and the care centres.

In the terms of the President final decision must be guided by science and facts. In addition to the empirical knowledge, the upcoming critical factor that need to be taken into account ought to be the protecting and preserving of life specifically that of the harmless and susceptible.

Other relevant challenges are the likely danger of resurgence, classes from the lockdown specifically in conditions of adherence to the recommended protocols and capacity of institutions (general public, private, tiny, medium and big) to place the necessary steps in location and their respective capacities to specific compliance from employees, customer/customers and the general public.

Other relevant concerns

Further factors are availability and readiness of the essential protection companies to be certain enforcement of the guidelines/measures to the letter, bread and butter problems and the common economic welfare of the the greater part of the populace, the nature of the distinct measures rolled out for the new regular, classes from other countries that have now lessened the constraints, and to borrow from the Rotarians no matter if the actions/determination are/will be good to all issue and no matter if it will be valuable to all.

Like any other public coverage, the selection-makers have to weigh all the choices, synthesis the suitable facts, make some compromises and go on. 

In the end, some will be happy and smile, other will sense ok due to the fact they have been listened to, though some will be agitated or even get offended but as you and I know, there is no way everyone’s desire can be offered the exact same body weight and catered for at the identical amount.

On the foundation of the above, it will be quite logical and prudent to put top quality and excess weight on the scientific specifics which features the possible threat of maximize or surge of spread and for that make any difference, actions to be set in location to preserve lives as selection 1.

This should really be adopted by the financial variable as long as it also does not pose possibility of increasing unfold and thus lessens tension on the overall health and lessens worry and stress. What about the human variable?

The human variable and unpredictable citizens

When the scientific info and the linked professional medical difficulties are on tract then, the next crucial troubles is the human issue. This factor is extremely essential even even though it is typically not offered the predicted excess weight and it is even in some cases neglected.

The important challenges involves the psychology of Ghanaians, our predominant considered processes, consider systems, amount of self-discipline and propensity in direction of compliance using cognisance of the the latest past and our enforcement routine.

We have to maintain in intellect that we can have the greatest scientific details coupled with the very best actions in put at the workplace, colleges, at the Chapel, Mosques, in business automobiles, the eating places, athletics stadium, the ingesting bar, the night golf equipment and the other leisure and business centres and marketplaces, but if the persons do not comply, not substantially could be realized.

For the uses of this discussion and certain to compliance, I like to categorize the unique groups into two – these less than institutional care for the better aspect of the 7 days times or twenty-4-hour cycle for a specified interval all through the 12 months.

They contain pupils and pupils who are designed up of little ones and youthful grownups. The other classification is older people who are self- utilized do the job for non-public folks or in private or general public sectors. 

Group one: Small children and youthful grownups

For most youngsters up to key/class six, you will need to be on them just about every instant to ensure compliance with the safety protocols.

For all those in Junior Substantial, Senior Higher and even at the Tertiary degree, their electricity degree is so superior that even though they will have an understanding of the troubles greater, compliance in terms of social and bodily distancing, sporting of mask and other folks, will be a nightmare for academics/masters and faculty administrators to tackle.

The electricity degrees and the zeal of these age teams to interact in social and other things to do specially right after educating several hours are these types of that it will be particularly hard to management or manage them even at the boarding dwelling in particular with the enormous figures and confined dormitory and hostel services and room.

For people at the Tertiary degree the the very least said about them the improved because of the level of independence obtainable to them. Any attempt to curtail their independence at their level (even though incredibly legitimate and in their own fascination) is most likely to be either resisted with all the forces accessible to them or dismissed at the blind facet of university authorities. 

In brief for now, resumption of faculty at all amount really should not be an choice for at least the next three months. I am certain most moms and dads have recognized that the frequency at which their youngsters get cold and other contagious/communicable health conditions have reduced substantially since universities have been shut down.

Have you considered of the cause? – in accordance to health and fitness pros, one of the major factors is that because faculty is not in session and other social gatherings have been bane, there is really little or no get hold of with many others outside the house the households. 

Accepting the realities

My suggestion is that we need to acknowledge the reality that we have missing some months and would likely loss far more, but in the approach we have also saved treasured life of tens of millions of Ghanaian who could have contracted the sickness and even died if educational facilities experienced not been closed down.

On that foundation we must work in direction of the resumption of school functions in somewhere August/September or even past and discover strategies to make up for those people months we have misplaced.

We will not get rid of far too a great deal even if we decide to forget about these months and allow every pupil and university student development to the upcoming amount other than in which there are certain demanded exams these as Essential Instruction Certificate Exams (BECE) West African Senior Secondary Certification Exams (WASSCE) and other exterior ones. 

Resorts and other professional establishment

For lodges, the reception location, the staircases rails and the doorway knobs and handles are amongst the spots to be viewed. My view is that these can conveniently be managed – physical distancing at the entrance desk and normal cleaning of the rails, handles and knobs.

Bodily distancing for dining establishments in basic, consuming bars and pubs can be checked as a result of seating arrangement but the same are not able to be said for evening golf equipment where rapturous dancing at nights is an integral component of the each day or weekend functions and systems.

For the shorelines, the concerns are extremely tricky for the reason that even though room is not very likely to be a trouble implementing bodily distancing may well be problematic particularly when the holiday-makers are in their enthusiastic method. For point out and most personal sector institutions, making sure the protocols have so considerably been very excellent.

They have ensured that their own staff members and customers/consumers have complied and those people who unsuccessful/refused to comply are denied entry into the premises and ended up as a result not available companies.

This has however not been the situation with a bulk of the informal sector. Some seem to have put financial consideration forward of everything together with human life consequently their very own compliance with the protocols have been pretty bad and consequently they have also not been equipped to insist that shoppers/clients strictly comply. The problems some assemblies have had with sector gals/men, people in other business centres and lorry stations are usual examples.

Spiritual routines and companies

For churches and the Mosques, the bodily distancing in conditions of seating arrangement can very easily be managed but that cannot be guaranteed for interactions ahead of and after the services are about.

What about Sunday school for children? I have found elaborate program/system by some religious teams on how they intend to manage and be certain adherence to the proposed protocols and for now, I will humbly plead that they work out a little bit of persistence.

In addition to controls right before and soon after company how will the numbers be managed in phrases of who show up at to start with, second or third provider? If there are extra quantities in just one of the solutions, will the relaxation be asked to wait or go property and return later on?

Church company in individual for some persons is euphoric and ecstatic consequently limits may possibly be complicated to manage specifically amid the a single-person, one-lady independent churches.

A comparable scenario will also utilize to funeral grounds hence it need to for now be restricted to the non-public burial of 20-5 persons.

On the foundation of this my suggestion is that religious routines in conditions of congregation companies ought to even now be suspended for at minimum two extra months to let for more evaluation of the scenario on the ground by the experts. 

My humble tips

Based mostly on the higher than examination my humble tips are

  • Virtually all our public educational facilities have huge class sizing consequently practising social distancing in the classrooms will be basically difficult. Besides, working towards the other encouraged protocols will be a type of organisational nightmare in conditions of the needed assets, amenities – drinking water, soap, tissues, etc. for university managements.
  • The Simple faculties ought to continue to be near at minimum for the subsequent a few coming months whilst modern, realistic and available methods really should be observed to slowly get JSH 3 and SHS 3 to both publish their closing exams or compute grades based on prior/present continuous and assessment information to arrive at a reliable foundation for their development to the future level on the educational ladder. 
  • The approach put up is elaborate and excellent but human character can make it unworkable/un-implementable
  • However religion is portion of the incredibly core of Ghanaians, we do not necessarily have to congregate at the similar position to sing praises, worship the Almighty and pay attention to the superior news – allow us go on to rely on technologies – radio, television and social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Twitter and Instagram as nicely as digital meeting purposes like Skype and Zoom for now  
  • Pretty elaborate and stringent enforcement regime need to be set in put at lodges, enjoyment and commercial centres to guarantee that they do not incorporate to the already present challenges. They need to be near down on the minimum violation  

Like a lot of others, I also recognize the plight of personal schools in unique but nothing at all is more critical than human life. From a behavioural and additional precisely psychological viewpoint, the human component is incredibly important therefore a delay of about 3 months for the rate of an infection to lessen to the barest least just before faculty and religious functions resume will assist all of us. Illustrations from France, Huston, Texas of the United States of The united states (United states), and other nations, towns/towns which peaceful the restrictions in spite of the prevailing instances at the time endured resurgence within just days so permit us acquire a cue from them and go it bit by bit.

In the words and phrases of the President ‘we know how to deliver the financial state back again to life. What we do not know is how to provide persons back again to life’ Your Excellency, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as you are absolutely mindful, the exact same individuals who are pushing for the resumption of educational institutions and spiritual routines as very well as funeral ceremonies as it was right before covid-19 period, will be the exact folks who will change all-around to accuse you of staying liable resurgence as a consequence of calming the constraints. As I stated in just one of my prior generate-ups on lockdown, the buck stops with you. 

God Bless Our Homeland Ghana.

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