https://www.myjoyonline.com/easing-remaining-restrictions-must-come-with-mass-testing-global-health-expert-recommends/-------https://www.myjoyonline.com/easing-remaining-restrictions-must-come-with-mass-testing-global-health-expert-recommends/
Senior Researcher and Fellow at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research, Dr John Amuasi

Lecturer at the School of Public Health of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), says easing the remaining restrictions must come with mass testing.

Dr John Amuasi said that is the only way to cut down on the spread of the coronavirus while the country tries to return to normalcy.

“This is a question that everybody is asking at all levels in this country; how do we get on with our lives in the face of this virus.

“If there is any intention or effort to move back to normal or for the country to open up, it has to be combined but only with an increased in capacity in hospital capacity and personnel and also with testing capacity across board.

"This must be done so that whoever falls in, on account of being exposed because we are trying to go back to normal, should be able to be treated as soon as possible,” he told Samson Lardy Anyenini on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday.

As part of measures to cut the spread of the coronavirus in the country, President Akufo-Addo imposed some restrictions.

There was a ban on social gathering, closure of the country's borders i.e land, air, and sea, among others and for three weeks a partial lockdown in Accra, Kumasi, Tema and parts of Kasoa.

Although some of the restrictions such as the lockdown have been lifted, Ghanaians are anticipating the release of the remaining restrictions.

President Akufo-Addo has announced an extension of the ban on public gatherings as well as the closure of borders until May 31 but has said he is working on measures that will make Ghanaians live a normal life again.

At a press conference last week, the Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu urged Ghanaians to learn to live with the virus because it has come to stay.

He reiterated the need for strict adherence to the World Health Organisation (WHO) protocols because that is the means of survival.

“The last time I came here, I made some factual statement that coronavirus has come to live with us. It will have nowhere to go and we’ll have to learn to live with it.

Agreeing to the statement, Dr Amuasi said life must go on despite the existence of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, he said there was a need to put in place measures that could check the spread of the virus.

"Easing restrictions and allowing people to move around, we need to institute routine testing across the board as well as the ability to measure systematically on a daily basis while aggregating on a weekly basis to see where we are.

"Because its when you see where we are that we will be able to make decisions and will be able to make changes," he said.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.


DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.