A medical doctor at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has advised the Ghanaian populace against the wearing of face shields without the extra protection of a face mask, as a safety protocol against the possible infection of the coronavirus.
According to Dr. Bernard Hammond, the face shield is not to be used alone but for maximum protection, it should be used together with facemasks.
He shared this public education in an interview on the Happy Morning Show with Samuel Eshun on Happy 98.9 FM. “People are substituting face masks with face shields which is completely wrong. If you do that in a hospital we will tell you it is not right. The face shield is worn with the face mask.”
Dr. Hammond noted that face masks are more important than face shields and advised Ghanaians to rather use the face masks when going out than depend on the face shields for maximum protection. “If I am in town, I don’t necessarily need a face shield but need the face mask the most. The face shield only stops you from touching your face.”
He noted that a common complaint most Ghanaians make is “the face mask is not comfortable”. Dr. Hammond advised that regardless of face masks being uncomfortable, we are in unusual times and we need to protect ourselves. “In a period such as this, we need to bear with the discomfort, wear our face masks and also protect ourselves,” he said.
When asked by the host, Samuel Eshun if the Electoral Commission’s exercise was a red zone for the COVID-19 pandemic, he stated, “I think it is a valid concern. All public grounds are breeding grounds for COVID-19, that’s basic.”
He added that if social distancing protocols are continually disregarded in public spaces, more and more people will be infected with the virus.
With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana, the president in consultation with medical experts outlined some measures to fight the virus. These measures include the social distancing directive and the wearing of face masks which in the process has become compulsory for all but is still being disregarded by some citizens.
By: Joel Sanco