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Treat used nose mask as an infected COVID-19 material—-Dr Nsiah Asare

Treat used nose mask as an infected COVID-19 material—-Dr Nsiah Asare

Presidential Adviser on Health, Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare has cautioned Ghanaians to treat every used face mask as an infectious material that could transmit COVID-19 to the user and others.

That, he said would psyche people’s mind to know how to handle and dispose it once after used.

Speaking in a media briefing yesterday in Accra, Dr Asare explained that it was not advisable for the public to handle face masks just like ordinary polythene bag.

He noted that people have been touching the surfaces of the masks while wearing and treating them as just ordinary thing without thinking it could be carrying viruses or bacterias which could be detrimental to their health.

Dr Asare observed that people after using the mask put them inside their bags and pocket without disinfecting them, thus urged them to stop.

“The nose mask should be kept in a rubber and should not be added together with other items for kids to play with,” he added.

He appealed to the public to dispose the masks immediately after use, stressing that one could safely preserve cloth mask at a place where no one could reach.

“Wash it, ensure it is well disinfected and iron before using it again,” Dr Aware stated.

The Minister of Health, Dr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu on his part appealed to companies and various organisations to buy nose masks and distribute it to their workers.

He also called on them to disinfect door knobs and other items that when people touch their surfaces they could contract the virus, adding that the public should also disinfect their remote control and door knobs to ensure they are safe from the virus.

“It is time to adhere strictly to the safety measures protocols to curb the spread of the virus because since there is no medicine for the virus now the magic is to wear the mask and clean surfaces frequently,” Dr Agyeman-Manu added.

The wearing of face masks became mandatory after the government declared that the public should wear nose mask in all public places where it might be difficult to maintain social distancing.

In pursuant to the directive the Ministry of Health (MoH) also directed the citizenry to oblige by the directive to protect them from contracting the virus.

The directive, the Ministry said was pursuant to section 169 of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851).

Section 170 (1) of the Act “provides that the Minister of Health may order an individual to take a preventive measure in respect of public health matters.”

Transport operators, service providers, shop keepers, food vendors, passengers and the entire public were therefore warned to move out by wearing masks to mitigate the spread of the virus via droplets through talking, singing, coughing or sneezing.

BY JOYCELINE NATALLY CUDJOE

Joyceline Natally Cudjoe

An Entertainment Columnist, Content Writer, Blogger, Novelist, Poet, and a Publicist. For business or story tip off, contact me on +233 24 646 6866 or email: [email protected]

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