Covid-19 Fight: Face Shields Not An Alternative To Face Masks – GHS

The Ghana Health Service has cautioned Ghanaians against the wearing of face shields alone when in public.

At the Ministry of Information’s press briefing on Covid-19  yesterday, Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said the government observed with concern  a popular trend where people to step out of their homes wearing only a face shield in a bid to conform with the law on mandatory wearing of face masks.

“It has become necessary because we have noticed that increasingly that a lot of Ghanaians are resorting to, in their bid to be compliant with the Executive Instrument, are resorting to the wearing of face shields alone”, he said.

He said the practice does not augur well for public health for which reason the government deems it fit to put out a caution.

Addressing the issue, head of surveillance at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, explained the face shields are only meant to be used in specific situations, an instance being where an engagement with the deaf requires the use of sign language which include facial expressions.

He said the face mask is the priority when it comes to protecting oneself against Covid-19

“For the purposes of addressing the spread of infection, the first point of call (Sic) is the face mask”, he noted.

He urged Ghanaians to stick strictly to the use of face masks and all the Covid-19 safety protocols to mitigate the spread of the pandemic.

“We would like to implore all Ghanaians that let’s use the face mask, that is the surest way you can actually prevent yourself from getting infection”, he advised.

Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe empathized that  if the face shield must be worn, it must be on top of a face mask and never “an alternative to the use of a face mask”

Ghana’s Case Count

Ghana’s COVID-19 case count has increased by 264 cases, leaving the total as at Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at 25,252.

While the number of deaths remains at 139, the number of people who have recovered are now 21,391.

The number of active cases is 3,716.

According to the Ghana Health Service, the Greater Accra Region recorded the most number of new cases.

The new cases were confirmed in 26 districts in six regions.

The top regions leading the country’s case count are;

Greater Accra – 13,869
Ashanti Region – 5,277
Western region – 2,189
Central reigon – 1,110

According to Dr. Badu Sarkodie, the Director of Public Health for Ghana Health Service, coastal and middle belt continue to be hotspots of COVID-1 in the country.

Regional breakdown

 

Greater Accra – 13,690

Ashanti – 5,259

Western – 2,140

Central – 1,110

Eastern – 948

Volta – 418

Upper East – 282

Northern – 267

Bono East – 205

Western North – 200

Oti – 128

Bono – 107

Ahafo – 98

Upper West – 70

Savannah – 51

North East – 9