Coronavirus protocols disregarded at funerals in Koforidua

A cross-section of the public in Koforidua have appealed to government to ban funerals and all other social gathering activities as a measure to contain the spread of the Coronavirus.

The residents in an interview with the GNA said none of the protocols including; the social distancing, handwashing and the wearing of the face mask was fully observed at funerals and such social gatherings and that was contributing to the rise of the infections.

GNA went round to sample views of the public after visiting a number of funerals in the municipality and observed that hundreds of mourners had gathered at the various funeral grounds with no regards to the protocols.

A key observation was that since there were no restrictions as to the number of people who could attend funerals, it had become a free for all affair, where no one enforced the wearing of a mask, the handwashing and social distancing protocol.

Everything seemed normal at the various funeral grounds visited, as mourners were seen dancing to music, shaking hands and even hugging each other without any preventive protocol or the face mask.

Mr Yaw Agama, a retired health worker, said government should as a matter of urgency ban funerals and all other social gatherings to strengthen measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus, which was fast rising again, adding that "where we have reached there should be no considerations".

He said it was better to ban funerals and social gatherings to check the rate of infections to lock down the country, which placed a huge economic burden on the government and families as well.

The retired health worker disclosed how some mourners had contracted the virus days after attending funerals and called on the public to be conscious of their lives and stay away from funerals and social gatherings for now.

When asked whether schools should be closed down as well, some of the residents said because the classes hours was limited amidst the strict enforcement of the protocols including handwashing and wearing of face masks, it would be difficult for the virus to spread in schools.