The Community Youth Cultural Centre (CYCC) under the auspices of National Commission On Culture (NCC) has begun a COVID-19 sensitization exercise dubbed “Mask Up, COVID-19 Down” to whip-up enthusiasm and revitalize adherence to the World Health Organisation and Ghana Health Service’s preventive protocols among young persons.
The exercise is being carried out through arts and culture.
Speaking at the event in Accra, Madam Sophia Akuffo, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the National COVID-19 Trust Fund, on Friday urged Ghanaians to keep to the COVID-19 safety protocols as the virus is still prevalent.
She said: “COVID-19 is real, kills, damages, and destroys so let’s all join hands to fight it. It is unfortunate most people have given up on the protocols and the correct method of wearing of nose masks. Some wear the masks covering only their mouth or their chin leaving their nose exposed to the virus.”
She also took the gathering through the proper use of nose masks and averred that the improper wearing of it pose great danger to the person.
Madam Sophia Akuffo, in demonstrating the proper usage of the nose mask, said for effective usage, the wearer should first bend the metallic strap on the mask to fit the nose bridge; in that way the nose mask will not fall off when one speaks.
She also encouraged children to get involved in the campaign and help the enforcement of the protocols.
“We must be vanguards for adhering to the COVID-19 protocols, let us correct colleagues and adults in our communities to keep to the safety protocols,” she added, and declared all children ambassadors.
She said: “The more you protect yourself, the more I am protected and the more I protect myself the more you are protected.”
On her part, Madam Edna Janet Nyame, the Executive Director, National Commission on Culture, called on parents to ensure that their children wore the nose masks and had hand sanitizers on them as schools reopened, whilst advising the youth, especially students, to observe social distancing in school and avoid the temptation of sharing their nose masks with friends.
Director, CYCC, Dr Akosua Abdalla averred that the event formed part of a Nationwide Awareness Campaign by the Center to educate the youth and the public in the fight against COVID-19 through the use of drama, cultural dance and puppets.
At the event, these methods were used to convey the message to the youth and community who were present.
By Prosper Agbenyega
