MOTHERS’ DAY CELEBRATION 2020
Role of the 21st Century Mother in Disease Prevention, COVID-19 Transmission
Gender
is very critical in our preparation to prevent any infection on earth from
spreading! All genders play very important roles in disease prevention, and
acknowledging them can motivate them to do more. The roles of women in our
collective efforts to contain this novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, cannot be
overlooked (Fig. 1). Though women may be seen busily working at our various
work places, they are mostly the ones taking care of our various homes (Sharma et al., 2016; Friedemann &
Buckwalter, 2015). It is an open secret that our little ones are mostly
closer to their mothers than their fathers. In our fight to prevent the spread
of COVID-19 Pandemic, social distancing has been one of the major ways of doing
that. This cannot be complete if only adults are maintaining social distance and
children are going about with their normal lives without doing the same.
Fig.
The Role of Gender in the Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Like COVID-19.
Even
amongst adults, it has not been easy for them to practice this new lifestyle of
living, where they have to maintain social distance (Hartmann,
2020) .
There have been many reports of adults violating social distance (Agyeman, 2020; Crabbe, 2020; Hartmann, 2020) , especially at our market
places. So, you can imagine what our little ones would be doing if they are not
controlled/monitored by their mothers! This puts our wives, mothers, and
sisters as front-line workers right from the home or community level (Wenham et al., 2020).
Our
little ones do not know what social distancing is except their mothers teach/tell
them, and guide them to practice. Most of them listen to their mothers more!
Without their mothers, we should forget about social distance amongst the kids;
because their mothers are the ones mostly taking care of them (Jolly et al., 2014). All the preventive
measures aimed at preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2, such as; washing of
hands with soap under clean running water for at least 20seconds, wearing of
face/nose masks, sanitizing our hands with 70% alcohol-based hand sanitizers,
and so on; can only be practiced by our children under instructions, mostly by
their mothers. Mothers are also the ones who mostly bath their children to
ensure that they are not dirty. SARS-CoV-2 is a virus like most infectious
agents that like dirts and touching; so, bathing them helps reduces their risks
of probably getting infected. Women are also the ones who would mostly wash
their hands, sanitize them, and put face/nose masks on them.
Children
generally like roaming about and playing with friends (Vlaar et al., 2019; Marzi & Reimers, 2018), but you can
never tell which child is asymptomatic and is capable of transmitting the
virus. Though some literature is asking for parents to give their wards the
freedom to roam neighborhood territories (Vlaar et
al., 2019), at these particular difficult times, parent can do that at
their own risks. The mother is the one who mostly ensures that her child(ren)
is/are at home. No matter how careful you might be, if your kids are not well
protected from the virus, it is like pouring kerosene into fire; thinking that
you are quenching it. It is revealed that our 21st Century children mostly
have access to “Mobile devices” with an increasing percentage of 38% as at 2011
to 72% in 2013 (Bozzala et al., 2018;
Redeout et al., 2013). As children roam about, they can get infected
not only from infected sick persons or the asymptomatic ones (Brownson,
2020) ;
but from some of these infected devices as they use the internet, computer,
playing video games (either on the computers or phones), and so on (Bhatta, 2018; Bozzala et al., 2018).
When
SARS-CoV-2 was first discovered in China, Wuhan, it was spreading amongst clusters
of families in Beijing where family members were tested positive for COVID-19 (Song et al., 2020). There were also
reports that children and their whole families were found to have been infected
with the virus (Ji et al., 2020). This
explains why there is the need for us to take social distancing and all the
other preventive measures very serious. This will not be possible if you do not
put your eyes on your child(ren), and this is mostly done by their mothers.
When
Jesus parents took him to Jerusalem for the Passover and took away their eyes
of him, they could not find him (Luke 2: 41-51,
KJV). They tried to search for him everywhere amongst their Kinsmen 44,
but could not find him. So, what happened was that, they could not go home,
they returned to Jerusalem 45. It is said that his parents spent
three days before they saw him in the temple 46. His mother was the
one who talked to him when they found him 48. His parents could have
beaten him for being too known or inquisitive, but they understood and took him
home 50. Jesus also became obedient to them when they went home 51.
This biblical message is telling you as parents to be patients with your kids,
especially during this difficult time. When you beat your children: you are chasing
them to the virus!
Before,
I forget, eating of a healthy diet is known to help boost our immune system to
protect us from most sicknesses, especially viral diseases like COVID-19 (Prompetchara et al., 2020; Taghizadeh-Hesary &
Akbari, 2020; Jayawardena et al., 2020). Though in our modern-day
marriages, some men are also helping their wives with household chores, women
are mostly in-charge of the kitchen and our bellies (Cerrato & Cifre, 2018). So, they are playing very critical
roles, not only in COVID-19 pandemic’s prevention, but all diseases.
Though
a research findings in the Central Region of Ghana revealed that “Small small
quarrels bring about happiness or love in the relationships” (Dako-Gyeke,
2019) ,
some men have been reported to have said that, they do not stay at home because
of violence (Tribbett, 2020; TNN., 2017; Huntley
et al., 2019). Both men and women are victims of domestic
violence! As we remember mothers today; may all mothers use their uniqueness to
make their homes look like junior heavens, so that their family members can
stay home to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Recommendations
Ø Without
peace at our homes, social distancing and staying at home cannot be successful.
Mothers have what it takes to create peace, even in the mist of violence. Do
so, please.
Ø At
this particular moment, wives/mothers should be considerate and manage what
ever chop money is given to them, to prepare nutritious meals for their family
members. This will help boost their immunities to fight against most infectious
disease, like COVID-19.
Ø Though
mothers by nature do not joke with their kids, at this particular time our kids
need more attention than before, and it should be given to them.
Ø You
must show them more love than before, in order to win them from SARS-CoV-2. If you
beat them: they will run to the virus. So, do not beat them.
Ø Children
will not frequently wash or sanitize their hands. Our mothers who are always
their best friends, should not forget to always be doing that for them.
Ø Though
it is reported that some men are helping with house hold chores, men need to
offer more helps to their wives, mothers, or sisters during this period.
Ø All
partners should use whatever they have to help each other safely stay at home.
References
Agyeman, A. T. (2020). Ghana: 4 Akropong Chiefs
Arrested for Violating Social Distancing Order. Ghanaian Times (Accra),
Retrieved, on 6th May 2020 around 9:25PM, from
https://allafrica.com/stories/202005040769.html.
Cerrato, J., &
Cifre, E. (2018). Gender Inequality in Household Chores and Work-Family
Conflict. Front Psychol, 9: 1330. Doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01330.
Crabbe, N. (2020).
COVID-19: Soldiers storm Chorkor after residents flouted lockdown directive
to party at beach (video). Latest News, Retrieved on 14.04.2020 at
2:05AM from
https://yen.com.gh/153299-covid-19-soldiers-storm-chorkor-residents-flouted-lockdown-directive-party-beach-video.html.
Friedemann, M.,
& Buckwalter, K., C. (2015). Family Caregiver Role and Burden Related to
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Hartmann, F. A.
(2020). Watch How People Partied at Chorkor Beach on Easter Sunday. News,
Retrieved from
https://ghanaxtra.com/2020/04/watch-how-people-partied-at-chorkor-beach-on-easter-sunday.html
on 14.04.2020 at 5:32AM.
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S., Sooriyaarachchi, P., Chourdakis, M., Jeewandara, C., & Ranasinghe, P.
(2020). Enhancing immunity in viral infections, with special emphasis on
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Jolly, S., G., Griffith,
K., A., DeCastro, R., Stewart, A., Ubel, P., & Jagsi, R. (2014). Gender
Differences in Times Spent on Parenting and Domestic Resposibilities by
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Marzi, I., &
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B., Song, M., Wang, L., Conlon, C., P., Dong, T., Tian, D., Zhang, W., Chen,
Z., Zhang, F., Shi, M., & Li, X. (2020). Clinical and epidemiological
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Vlaar, J., B., Brussoni,
M., Janssen, I., & Masse, L., C. (2019). Roaming the Neighbourhood:
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Wenham, C. S.,
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Note:
This is a beautiful research area, those who have interest can take it up as a full project.
There are more that I could have added, but I decided to shorten it for
today's purpose. Thank you again for Reading!
Written by Benjamin Pulle Niriwa and Posted on 10th May 2020
Last Updated on 15th May 2020 at 11:26PM.
Written by Benjamin Pulle Niriwa and Posted on 10th May 2020
Last Updated on 15th May 2020 at 11:26PM.