PREPARATION IS PEACE

PREPARATION IS PEACE

Lockdown!  Stay at Home, Save Yourself: Save Others

The Last Resort of “Physical Preparation” (Duncan, 2019) to prevent the spread of any infection, like Coronavirus, is the “lockdown”/shutdown (Larweh, 2020; Palmer, 2020). Unlike Duncan & Liebenson, (2019) who were referring to physical preparation like training for fitness: I am referring to that and all forms of preparation that are physical in nature; such as the building of physical infrastructures (Lacovidou, 2016) like hospitals or roads; provision of medical consumables like drugs, gloves; protection of national borders from terrorists invasion; and so on. In our struggle to prevent the COVID19 pandemic, so many physical preparations such as the closer of national borders, provision of Personal Protection Equipments (PPEs), disbanding of almost all social gatherings like workshops/conferences to encourage social distancing, encouraging people to cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing, establishment of diagnostic and treatment centers, donations by rich/wealthy people, the promotion of regular hand washing with soap under clean running water, hand sanitizing, and so on were used. 

All these strategies mentioned above are very important or healthful, but the best of all is to provide a barrier between the infectious agent and human beings; this can best be achieved with the “Lockdown” (Larweh, 2020; Palmer, 2020). If all people could understand and maintain strict “social distancing” (Barry, 2020; Boakye, 2020), there would have be no need for a lockdown or curfew. Social distancing is defined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as: “Remaining out of congregate settings, avoid mass gatherings and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet) from others when possible” (Miller, 2020). Unfortunately, some people still do not understand why they should maintain social distance! Though cases of horizontal transmissions have been recorded (Antwi P. b., 2020; GHS. b. , 2020) in most nations, most people still think that once they know you and, especially because you have been working or staying together, it is safe to interact with you without maintaining social distance. This is serious, because just like criminals, COVID19 is not written on the foreheads of those infected, before you can be careful.

Most nations, like Ghana, needed a complete lockdown (Larweh, 2020) to permanently contain the “Coronavirus Pandemic” (Draver, 2020; Yang, 2020) that is sweeping innocent lives. No disease has legs or strong wings to walk or fly for longer distance(s), infected animals, objects, or human beings are the ones who spread them around; through contacts/droplets, as revealed in: “How infectious diseases spread” (MOH., 2017); and “The consequences of human actions on risks for infectious diseases: a review” (Lindahl & Grace, 2015). Politics is one of these “human actions” (Lindahl & Grace, 2015) though the authors did not talk about it! If government is doing everything possible and we are not ready to support, it will be like pouring water on a rock.

So, to be able to contain any outbreak or pandemic, it must be void of politics, unlike in this Coronavirus which is full of politics, using Ghana as an example (Antwi P. c., 2020; Amofa, 2020; Appiah, 2020). The government’s decision to pay for water (Larnyoh, 2020) and 50% of light bills (Dapaah E. b., 2020) for citizens is an excellent move, though it was politicized as revealed by Gariba, (2020) and Arthur, (2020); but if those without water are quiet, how will government know about it? The attacks/insults on one of our journalists for saying that water was not following from her tap for the past two weeks was not necessary (TIG., 2020). Behaviors like that create culture of silence which is not good for modern democracy (Raphael, 2018; Karikari, 2010). As Sarkodie said when interviewed by TV3 through Skype: “Everyone must do his/her work” (Sarkodie, 2020), which is essential in containing this Global Obstacle of Peace (COVID19). So, she was doing her work by pointing out a problem that can affect the success of the partial lockdown. 

If we human beings who are social animals (Takano, 2018; Tomasello, 2014) are mostly the ones spreading most infections amongst ourselves (Lindahl, 2015), through our natural loving nature as Waytz, (2014), said: “Humans Are By Nature Social Animals”. Then, the only strategy that can stop us from unknowingly spreading them is the “lockdown” (Larweh, 2020; Palmer, 2020). This is why you should appreciate why there was the need for a lockdown, and comply by the directives that were given for your safety and that of the whole human kind. 

In Ghana, for example, the suspension of public activities like schools, conferences, and so on, was not effective as revealed by (Larweh, 2020) and the National Day of Prayers and Fasting (Alamisi, 2020). Some citizens were seen live on televisions (TVs) praying together without wearing face masks; especially some two (2) ladies who were pairing one microphone (Fig. 1). In a situation like that where everyone was praying, there was the need to properly wear face masks, since the one meter (1m) social distancing was not even effective as seen in Fig. 1. Some people up to now, do not even know the proper ways of wearing face masks. This alone can lead to multiple infection of people (Gallagher, 2020) just like all other frequently touched objects known to spread infections (Bhatta, 2018).

Fig. I: Some Ghanaians Praying Together without Face Masks (Retrieved from (Alamisi, 2020).

A lockdown does not only enforce social distancing as perceived to be (Larweh, 2020). It also prevents us from the likelihood of touching some likely infected “frequently touched objects” (Bhatta, 2018) like vehicles’ doors or door handles of public places (Fakhoury & Nawas, 2018), money (Sanster, 2020), and so on that have the capabilities of infecting many people within just an hour. Even after a partial lockdown in some countries like Ghana, there are evidence of some people still trying to violate the lockdown orders (Graphic, 2020). A video was shown on Kesben’s TV Sport around 10:00AM where some residents of Greater Accra Region were seen having a Beach Party (Kesben, 2020). Social distancing was violated! Searching online for confirmation, similar videos and pictures were found in which people were busily having fun at the beach without respecting social distance (Crabbe, 2020; Hartmann, 2020). 

While some border towns in Ghana like, Ketu South, as revealed by Ghana New Agency (GNA., 2020) and Bawku, were indirectly selling their lives and that of others by “Letting travelers in from neighboring French-speaking Togo for a fee” (Adeti, 2020); some people are also stubbornly having wedding with many people being invited (Dapaah E. a., 2020) to violate social distance. This social distance violation is an evidenced global problem; where 20 people tested positive for COVID19 in Albany, Georgia, after attending funerals (Opera.com., 2020). For these reasons, the best option for Ghana should have been a complete lockdown (Larweh, 2020) to prevent it from spreading to the remaining regions.

As at 28^th March 2020, a day after this write up was started, there were 141 confirm cases with five deaths and only three regions had reported COVID19 Positive cases; Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Upper West (GHS. c. , 2020). When I visited the same site on 15^th April 2020, ten regions (more than half of Ghana) have recorded 636 confirmed cases (Fig. 2B) with eight (8) deaths (GHS. d. , 2020); this is even after a partial lockdown of the three hotpots cities for the disease (Tarlue, 2020). These number of increased cases could be as a result of violations of Social Distance and the lockdown orders as could be seen in the case of Chorkor Beach (Fig. 2A) and West Legon Pool Parties respectively (Crabbe, 2020; Anaba, 2020). It also shows that our COVID19 Team is doing an excellent job; despites our increased cases, the number of deaths as compared to other parts of the world is low (GHS. d. , 2020).

2A. Residents Parting at Chorkor Beach on Easter Sunday, Despite Partial Lockdown. Retrieved from (Hartmann, 2020)

2B. Situation Update, COVID-19 Outbreak in Ghana As At 13 April 2020, 23:00HRS. Retrieved from (GHS. d. , 2020)

Fig. 2. Evidence of Lockdown Violation and Increasing COVID19 Cases in Ghana

Nothing can enforce “social distancing” (Barry, 2020; Wilder-Smith, 2020) better than the lockdown and strict enforcement of laws to punish those engage in non-essential public social activities! No one should see it as a punishment! It is good to pray for God’s divine intervention for a cure to COVID-19, but it should not be perceived as a punishment from God, as claimed by some religious people (Martin, 2020). I am a Christian myself, but, comments that God is using Coronavirus virus as a “death angel” to wipe away sinners (Brown, 2020), defeat our preventive fight. The COVID19 Pandemic, is no respecter of person! If you don’t maintain social distance you will get it from infected person(s) or infected frequently touched objects (Bhatta, 2018); not because you are a sinner, as claimed by some Pastors (Brown, 2020). A lockdown, in any outbreak, is done for one’s own safety and that of others. When there is a lockdown, do not try to be recalcitrant by going out, especially at odd times, or by violating any of the orders as some people did during this lockdown (Ayamga, 2020; Primenewsghana.com., 2020). When you do that you are risking your own life and that of others!

In areas that are not locked down, people should have it in their minds that, the virus can infect others even within the incubation period when there are no signs and symptoms (GHS. a. , 2020; Opoku-Fosu, 2020; Brownson, 2020; Ghclues.com., 2020). We should also bear in mind that; people are mobile and that is how the virus has succeeded in ruling the world. If you are at a border town anywhere in the world and you are allowing foreigners into your country; you are risking your own life and others, as seen in Ghana (GNA., 2020; Adeti, 2020). This is why gone are the days when people who return abroad are mobbed by everyone, now the story is different. People are running away from them as if they are criminals; all because of this deadly virus that can be transmitted by asymptomatic people (Brownson, 2020).

Fig. 3: Lady Covers Her Face with a Clean Material as she coughs or sneezes (Retrieved from (WHO, 2020).

The only way out is: “Stay safely at home: protect yourself, and protect others by not moving around in public places”. If you move, maintain social distance of at least one meter (GHS. a. , 2020; Opoku-Fosu, 2020). The WHO, (2020); GHS., (2020) and some experts, like Opoku-Fosu, (2020) have advised us to avoid crowded places or cover our noses and mouths when there, especially when you or others are coughing or sneezing (Fig. 3), wash your hands with soap under clean running water or disinfect them frequently with 70% alcohol-based hand sanitizer (WHO, 2020). If you stay safe, I stay safe, and we stay safe; Coronavirus will run for safety. To cope with your Staying at Home or Lockdown, see “STAY AT HOME” as an acronym with the full meaning as seen in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4. How to Cope with Any Lockdown in Your Life.

To also help us cope with any lockdown like this, we should see it as a temporary strategy (Leung, 2020) that requires the sacrifice of every one of us. You may not have money to support this worthy fight, but you can still contribute by staying at home, as your own way of scarifying for others. Do not make yourself unnecessarily busy during any lockdown, use your free times to sleep (Fig. 4). Strong immune system is identified through research, as one of the best ways of treating or preventing most diseases like viral infections, especially COVID19 (Draver, 2020). One of the ways that you can boost your immune system is by sleeping (Watson, 2015; Draver, 2020). As revealed by experts, rest is medicine (Watson, 2015) and the best form of rest is to sleep for the required hours daily, according to your age (Chaput, 2018; Draver, 2020).

To also build a strong immune system for our bodies for them to fight infections too, we need to eat nutritious food daily, studies have proven that foods that have all the nutrients help build our bodies immune systems (Draver, 2020). Yet, most people, especially those in offices, do not even have time to eat! She also added that regular exercise is another way of building our immune systems (Draver, 2020) to help fight against infectious agents or any allergens. Meanwhile, it is an open secret that most people could not get time to do all these in addition to their busy schedules. So, a lockdown does not only help us to maintain social distance; it helps to get time to rest well, eat well, exercise, self-assess our lives, and so on.

 If you are the type who do not spend time with your children, this is the best time to let them enjoy their parental love. If you have an undesirable habit that you find it difficult to stop, this is also the right time to self-assess yourself well and pray to God for help. It is true that a lockdown is not easy for any nation (Antwi P. a., 2020), but the stark truth too is that, the consequences of any infection, especially this novel Coronavirus, far outweigh that of a properly planned lockdown. Before concluding, we must make sure that we do not introduce any politics or whatever in our quest to contain this global obstacle of Peace! Make use of any lockdown to self-assess your life and your children; this will help you to identify your weaknesses and strengths, if you do not know them already. Thank you for Reading!

Recommendations

1.  The first way of being able to cope with any lockdown or curfew in your life, is to see it as your own way of sacrificing to save your own life and that of others. Never see it as a punishment.

2.  We must not treat any lockdown like a normal holiday where we can roam about to chill, we must always bear in mind the reason(s) for the lockdown.

3.   We must prepare ourselves physically, emotionally/psychologically, and spiritually before, during and after any lockdown/curfew.

4.    Have faith in God and pray, but do not treat most disasters in life as punishment from God. When that happens, you may focus more on spiritual preparation instead of preparing physically or complying with the lockdown orders to prevent it negative effects.

5.   Social distancing is not social rejection! So, as you maintain social distance to safe yourself and others in outbreak or pandemic, still respect the rights and dignity of every human.

6.     Don’t break any orders that ensure that you or others are not infected in an outbreak. It does not show how brave you are: it shows ignorant or suicidal you are.

7.   The political will of every government is very important in preventing the spread of any infection. Governments in power around the world should always act swiftly if the only option that can stop the spread is the lockdown or curfew. This is because, the consequence of any pandemic cannot be compared to a properly planned lockdown/curfew.

8.     We must avoid any form of politics in the prevention of any outbreak or pandemic!

9.  Comments by some religious leaders that COVID19 is God’s “Death angel” to wipe away sinners must be avoided during any pandemic. People are already having emotional pains of uncertainty and fear, such comments add more fears to their existing fears, which is not good for their health.

1.  People with other underlined health conditions like, TB, Diabetes, HIV, and Asthma should be considered at their work places; with flexible work schedules to help them live by protect them from COVID19. This is because research findings, as seen in Ghana’s COVID19 deaths (GHS. d. , 2020), proved that they are the ones who mostly die from the disease.

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WHO. (2020). Coronavirus disease (COVID19) advice for the public. Diseases, Novel Coronavirus 2019., Retrieved from https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public on 20.03.2020 at 2:45AM.

Wilder-Smith, A. &. (2020). Isolation, Quarantine, Social Distancing and Community Containment: Pivotal Role for Old-Style Public Health Measures in the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Outbreak. J Travel Med., 27(2). Doi: 10.1093/jtm/taaa020.

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First Posted on 31st March, 2020; Last Updated on 16th April, 2020.

PREPARATION IS PEACE

PREPARATION IS PEACE

Identified Mistakes in Our Physical Preparation to Prevent Coronavirus Pandemic

All measures to contain the Coronavirus Pandemic in Ghana for example are good, but much still need to be done. The first mistake is when immigrants from infected nations like China (Fig. 4B) entered Ghana without being checked or quarantined (Adu, 2020; Ghananewspage.com., 2020). My second observation is government of Ghana initial decision to suspend most public activities, leaving the serious one which is night clubs (Desk, 2020). In my opinion, many people (mostly the youths) meet at these night clubs and there are more closed body contacts there (Fig 1) than other public places like; churches/mosques, workshops/conferences, schools (especially the universities), and even in some markets. For this reason, the government decision to later ban night clubs (Anim, 2020) is a move in the right direction.

Figure 1: Some Youths Dancing at a Night Club with Close Contacts (Retrieved from https://kasapafmonline.com/2020/03/covid-19... on 22.03.2020 at 12:43PM).

 

People at these night clubs can be difficult to control when they are drunk; even a Pastor and his church members went against the President’s order to suspend religious gatherings (Mawutor, 2020). Meanwhile, it has been projected that: “15 million Ghanaians could contract coronavirus” because of the horizontal transmission (Antwi, 2020). My third observation is, though we may quarantine suspected patients and run away from Coronavirus in the crowd, it may still follow us home in our bank notes (Sanster, 2020) and other frequently touched objects (Bhatta et al., 2018). A cashier in the counter, can count money for more than five (5) people with the same glove, but these are monies deposited by customers who could possibly carry the virus (Fig. 2). I also observe that though some public places have security officers at their entrances, customers are opening to enter and leave these places; this is risky since doors handles can be spreading the virus and other infections, as revealed by research findings (Bhatta et al., 2018; Fakhoury & Nawas, 2018). Though there is education on hand sanitizing, it is not possible 
that everyone will practice that as seen in (Fig. 3); some can even forget too.

	Figure 2: Infected Banknotes Can Spread Coronavirus; Right, Cashier in gloves touching money (Retrieved from https://pbs.twimg.com/media... on 17th March 2020 at 11:02PM).

Figure 3: Have Time to Wash your Hands Regularly, and after Touching any Objects

On 21^st March 2020, I observed a man at a public place washed his hands. I noticed that many customers were using the veronica buckets that have been provider with soap and water. This gentleman after washing his hands, used one of them to close the tap; without using some clean water in his other hand to rinse it. After that too, he mobbed both hands with a rag that looks dirty, and rubbed them together. People like him may rather end up picking the virus from the tap’s head since frequently touched objects are found to infect people (Bhatta et al., 2018). Have time to wash your hands very well, do not do it in a rush or anyhow (See Fig. 3). I have also come across a picture online in which a supposedly recovered Ghanaian is seen in a picture with a health worker in Personal Protection Equipments (PPEs) hugging him (Fig. 4A). Meanwhile, a video on you tube by BBC., (2020) has confirmed that Coronavirus infected patients who recovered were re-infected and tested positive for the virus again. It could be because of some these mistakes! In the first place, why are you wearing the PPEs, and yet you are hugging people with it?

	Figure 4: A Recovered Ghanaian Hugged by Healthcare Provider “A” and Chinese Immigrants “B” (Retrieved from https://pinaxonline.com/at-long-last-7th-...  on 20.03.2020 at 12:13AM & https://ghananewspage.com/coronavirus-ghanaians on 27.02.2020 at 11:42AM).

I have seen many people wearing nose/face masks of different types, most of them are not health workers. There should have been live education on TV long time ago on how to properly wear and remove these masks (Fig. 4) and gloves (Fig. 2, right), when China first started recording their cases. These items are also supposed to be changed frequently (Gallagher, 2020; Hamzelou, 2020), but I am not sure that most of them are doing that. As Ghana, for example, is now in horizontal transmission where local residents are also infected (Antwi, 2020)., and the cases keep increasing with even two deaths (Staff, 2020; Osei, 2020; GHS, 2020), we must pay attention to other sources like pure water (Halage et al., 2015; Kwakye-Nuako et al., 2007), barbering shops, hair dressing saloons (Moore & Miller, 2007) that are capable of transmitting infections. Since researchers have found out that these sources, especially barbering shops (Shiffer, 2018; Moore & Miller, 2007) and saloons (Moore & Miller, 2007) transmit infections, they can possibly transmit this virus too.

I will recommend that, in addition to the measures that are put in place:

v  Doors at all public places should be opened for customers by the security officials at posts to help reduce the risk of spreading infections through infected door handles.

v  If possible, doors' handles of all public places should be disinfected at regular interval

v  There should be more education to the general public on hand washing.

v  As part of this education, customers entering public places should be given supervised hand washing by experts. They should also in turn teach others at their homes.

v  If you will not dry your hands with a clean tissue or cloth; or allow them to air dry, then it is better you don’t wash them. Just disinfect them with 70% alcohol, please!

v  If you disinfect your hands, disinfect whatever object, like phone or keys, that you hold.

v  The public should be educated on live TV on how to wear or remove gloves or nose masks, though wearing of gloves by cashiers and market women should not be encouraged now.

v  Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Religious Bodies, and rich individuals should support this good course by donating gloves or other consumables to public places.

v  All health workers must avoid hugging patients to express their moods/feelings, because they may be re-infecting recovered patients or share the virus amongst people through.

v  There must be laws to deal with people who would be stubborn in preventing the spread of this virus and all other infections.

Below are some of the references that I have used. Thank you for Reading. Your comments, suggestions and criticisms are warmly welcomed. Feel free to comment on any issue.

Some References:

Adu, D. K. (2020). Coronavirus: Ghanaians at risk as travellers from China enter Ghana unchecked. News., Retrieved from https://www.adomonline.com/coronavirus-ghanaians-at-risk-as-travellers-from-china-enter-ghana-unchecked/ on 27.02.2020 at 11:35PM.

Anim, K. (2020). COVID-19: Akufo Addo bans night clubs from operating. . News, Retrieved from https://kasapafmonline.com/2020/03/covid-19-akufo-addo-bans-night-clubs-from-operating/ on 22.03.2020 at 12:43PM.

Antwi, P. (2020). 15 million Ghanaians could contract coronavirus. . News., Retrieved from https://mobile.ghanaguardian.com/15-million-ghanaians-could-contract-coronavirus-research-scientist on 23.03.2020 at 7:18PM.

BBC. (2020). Coronavirus: Recovered patients testing positive again - BBC News. . News, Retrieved from https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3-wf3Nb8tzI&feature=youtu.be on 22.03.2020 at 5;05PM.

Bhatta, D. R. (2018). Bacterial contamination of frequently touched objects in a tertiary care hospital of Pokhara, Nepa: how safe are our hands? Antimicrobial Resist Infect Control, 7:97. Doi: 10.1186/s13756-018-0385-2.