Coronavirus: Stay away from runaway travellers entering your region – Gov’t advises

Residents of regions that are not part of the lockdown over the novel Coronavirus have been advised to keep their distance from persons who have moved to those regions.

Following an announcement of a lockdown in Accra, Kumasi, Tema and Obuasi effective today, Monday March 30, 2020, there has been a mass movement of residents from the affected regions to other regions especially to the northern part of the country.

The development has sparked some wide apprehension and disapproval from residents of regions not affected by the lockdown.

Government is however calling for a strict observation of social distance from the returnees.

Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said at a press briefing on Sunday: “We are also asking residents of the other regions to respect the social distancing and preventing etiquette generally but also especially when engaging persons who have rushed into other regions ahead of these restrictions. Any such persons who have come into your regions, we encourage you to also advise that they keep in touch with the local health authorities and report if they do have any symptoms so that immediate attention is taken [But] at the same time observe social distancing and preventive etiquette that we have been speaking about.”

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah assured that contact tracing arrangements have been put in place to contain any issues that may arise out of the mass movement to other regions.

“There are teams of police, military and health in the other regions that will be assisting us with contact tracing and testing. So contact tracing and testing is not just limited to Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi” he said.

Meanwhile, Ghana Health Alert, a civil society organisation has called on government to take pragmatic measures to avert a looming danger of spread of the Coronavirus as a result of the panic travels to other regions.

“The GHA is concerned that without any medical screening whatsoever, these returning 'Kayayie and Paa o paa' workers have the greatest potential of carrying the Coronavirus to their rural hometowns in the Northern and Upper Regions of Ghana. In this regard, GHA calls on the government to ensure that all are properly screened in their originating locations and quarantined at their destination locations for the required 14 days and retested before they are cleared to join their helpless families and communities,” a statement signed by Executive Secretary Dr. Vida Yakong said.