The current situation where individuals are indiscriminately using gloves and face masks in the face of confirmed cases of Coronavirus in Ghana is very unhelpful and quite unnecessary, Medical expert, Titus Beyuo has said.
Ghana confirmed its first cases of the fast-spreading pandemic; COVID-19 Thursday March 12, 2020 and already some Ghanaians are taking rather stringent measures to keep safe.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ghana Health Service have already proposed frequent handwashing, face masking and hand sanitising as interim measures, to curb the spread of the disease. In light of that, hand sanitisers are already out of stock on the markets, face masks and gloves are also rapidly being bought and used by many in public transport, and in the streets.
Speaking on Joynews’ Newsfile program however, Dr. Titus Beyuo described the move as misplaced. Speaking from a health expert’s view, he said the current situation where people are ‘exaggerating’ the use of these gloves and face masks, will only exacerbate the situation on the ground.
He says though it is important to use the face masks and gloves, it will merely create more panic than there already is if overly used and used in the wrong instances.
“I want to emphasize on one thing. Because people are feeding on information sources from different places, we are using less effective means, and it is one thing the Ghana Medical association wants to bring to the attention on everybody. We are seeing people in panic, wearing gloves, in public places, working, selling food and wearing gloves.
It is very counter-productive. It gives you a false sense of security, you are not likely to wash your hand frequently because you feel you are protected with the gloves, and then you may actually be infecting yourself and infecting other people.” He said.
According to the health practitioner at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, these safety gears should be used appropriately; in cases where people are showing symptoms including simple flu or are coughing, just so they don’t spread droplets and in effect the virus where there are infections.
Health experts and persons who may have been in contact with infected persons, he says, are also required to use these gears to avoid contracting the virus.
“Face mask is useful but only to the extent that someone is showing symptoms and it is more useful on people who are showing symptoms than to the general public wearing it around.
If you think you have had a contact, you are coughing, use the face mask if you have it. It saves other people, you will not distribute the droplets but let’s not panic and go round wearing face masks as we walk from day to day. It may be useful where there is mass outbreak but as it is, I don’t think that it is. It is primarily for health workers, those who have been exposed, and the exposed person."
Dr. Beyuo however urged all and sundry to keep to a strict handwashing and sanitising practice to help keep safe and avoid further spread of the disease.
“The number one proven efficacious means is the handwashing and we want everybody to have hand -washing facilities, private institution, health or otherwise, make sure you make it possible for your staff and visitors who use your place to wash their hands. And the alcohol-based hand sanitisers is also very useful.”
Ghana recorded its first case of Coronavirus on Thursday, March 12, 2020. According to the Health Ministry, two persons, a Ghanaian returning from Turkey and a Norwegian official tested positive after suspicions that they were infected with the disease.
Prior to this, government had announced the allocation of some $100 million for the handling of the situation. It further promised that government is working assiduously to control the situation.
The two have since been quarantined, are stable and still under observation.
Titus Beyuo is a Medical Expert