The Director of Port Health at the Kotoka International Airport, Dr. Lawrence Lartey has advised the public not to fall for peer pressure and ignore the Corornavirus safety protocols at events.

He said that even some adults “fall for pressure to do the unthinkable” stressing that it would be more dangerous for such persons to disregard the COVID-19 protocols.

“When the pressure is on you to remove your mask, do not fall for it” he cautioned.

Dr. Lartey’s admonition was based on an observation that it had become worrying to attend social events and see people without wearing nose masks although it was a major prevention measure against the Coronavirus pandemic.

This, according to him, was prevalent at marriage ceremonies and funerals where hundreds of people gathered.

He said some ladies at wedding ceremonies did not see the need to wear nose masks because of their make-ups and so they would rather show their entire faces regardless of the consequences.

The Director of Port Health was worried that at funerals, it was uncommon to see only a handful of people wearing nose masks at such events.

He called for behavioural change among people as these were not normal times and emphasised that hugging and handshakes should be avoided.

Dr. Lartey said it was a challenge to understand why some people still believed COVID-19 was a myth, however, people’s outlook of the virus changed when someone very close to them got the disease.

He said others also thought that even if the virus existed, it was being exaggerated and this trend put many lives at risk.

The Director of Port Health at KIA advised the public to take the protocols of hand washing, wearing of nose masks, use of hand sanitisers and observing the social distancing seriously because the virus was real.

He said health personnel were trying their best to curb the spread of the virus but sadly some had even lost their lives in the process, and called for strict adherence to the safety protocols.

From Difa Tetteh Tay, Tema