Observing social distancing is not a punishment but a life-saving sacrifice - Doctor DaCosta

The Chairman of the Risk Communication and Social Mobilization committee for COVID-19, Dr Da Costa Aboagye has admonished Ghanaians not to construe the call for them to stay at home and adhere strictly to the social distancing protocols as a punishment but rather, as a life-saving sacrifice for the human race.

Speaking to some media personnel on Friday, April 4, 2020, at the Ministry of Information, Dr Aboagye said, to contain the spread of COVID-19, Ghanaians must seriously adhere to the president’s lifesaving directives to stay at home and practice social or physical distancing in addition to practicing good personal hygiene.

According to Dr. Da Costa, who doubles as the Director of Health Promotions at the Ghana Health Service, statistics show that these measures are effective ways of containing the spread whilst our frontline workers continue to effectively manage cases and trace contacts of confirmed cases.

“One of the main reasons why we should stay at home is to prevent community spread…. if someone is COVID-19 positive and he/she is not showing symptoms, you will not know and may contract the infection from the person with the least contact. In the light of this, it is in our best interest and in the interest of our loved ones to stay at home as much as possible and also to avoid entertaining visitors in this sensitive period”.

He further admonished Ghanaians to observe cough etiquette and regularly wash their hands with soap under running water and also use alcohol-based hand sanitizers as much as possible.

Dr. Da Costa also used the occasion to talk about some of the symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties, and encouraged persons who show any of these symptoms to call the help line 112 or 311 or text/whatsapp through 0555311311.