'Lockdown was not thought through' - Lydia Forson

Ghanaian actress Lydia Forson though acknowledging the efforts by the government in containing the spread of the deadly Coronavirus, which has become a headache for all nations, says the lockdown directive issued by the president was not the best of decisions to be made.

According to her, there are so many grey areas, loopholes, misinformation, and confusion about President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's new directive.

"While I appreciate the efforts the government is putting in to control this pandemic; I believe this #lockdown was not fully thought through. So many grey areas, loopholes, misinformation, and confusion. Like some people have already run away to other regions," she tweeted this on March 29, 2020.

Before, the president's fourth coronavirus address to the nation on Last Friday, the Ghana Health Service called for a lockdown of the country due to the rapid increase of the cases in the country.

“If we want to apply public health principles that will be now. But we don’t live only on public health, we have other parameters to consider, but looking at just the public health principles now will be the best time to shut down. But there are other ramifications and so those things, we need to calculate and make sure that at the earliest point, such systems are put in place,” Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Aboagye said on Newsfile, Saturday, March 21, 2020.

Ghana has a seen a rapid increase of 152 cases in the last 3 weeks with 5 deaths, 2 recovered cases and one person in critical condition.

While I appreciate the efforts the government is putting in to control this pandemic; I believe this #lockdown was not fully thought through.

So many grey areas, loopholes, misinformation and confusion.

Like some people have already run away to other regions ????

— Miss Forson (@lydiaforson) March 29, 2020

Day one of the lockdown

Restriction of movements in some parts of Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi is in full force for two weeks, as a way of controlling the spread of the dreaded novel Coronavirus in Ghana.

These areas are described by the Ghana Health Service as the epicenters, where substantial numbers of the virus have been recorded.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Friday during his fourth televised address to the nation since the outbreak of the Coronavirus in Ghana, noted that the lockdown is subject to review, is to achieve five key objectives.

These are – limit and stop the importation of the virus; contain its spread; provide adequate care for the sick; limit the impact of the virus on social and economic life; and inspire the expansion of our domestic capability and deepen our self-reliance.

He added, “There is no one-size-fits-all approach to this pandemic. We have a unique situation in our country, and we must take it into account in dealing with the disease, whilst meeting all the six key WHO guidelines on the most effective ways of combating the pandemic.

Even though it may be said that the number of our infections is still, relatively, low, if we act now purposefully, we have a chance of preventing an escalation of our numbers.”

President Akufo-Addo explained in his broadcast that, everyone resident in the areas where the lockdown is implemented must stay at home for the next two weeks.

“However, if you must go out, it must only be to get essential items such as food, medicine, water, undertake banking transactions, or to use public toilet facilities. But, as much as possible, stay at home," he stated.

“There shall be, during this period, no inter-city movement of vehicles and aircrafts for private or commercial purposes for the areas of the restrictive measures, except for vehicles and aircrafts providing essential services and those carrying cargo. Riders of motorbikes are not allowed to carry any additional person, and all intra-city passenger vehicles, such as trotros and taxis, must reduce the number of passengers in order to observe appropriate social distancing and hygiene protocols. Additionally, all commercial vehicle stations shall observe appropriate hygiene protocols and social distancing,” he stressed.