It might not look or feel like it but it has already been a little over a year now since the first case of Coronavirus was recorded in Wuhan, China, after which it gradually spread to all parts of the world, taking more lives and creating more panic.
Drastic measures were taking by authorities worldwide to ensure the safety of citizens. Coronavirus in 2020 was definitely no joke to anyone. People got tired of staying indoors, even tired of living, and prayed for 2021 to come through fast like there was any assurance that Covid-19 had an expiry date of December 31st, 2020.
Of course, as lockdown was lifted in several countries, social gatherings were now allowed though under strict measures and life almost looked like it was back to normal, people began to ignore the existence of the said deadly virus. One would ask “If there are millions of cases, why do I not know somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody who’s infected?”
A month or two after lockdown lift in Ghana was literally the ‘Period of disregard’. Disregard for all protocols and no one even cared about the number of active cases anymore. Though there were threats of a second wave to hit Ghana soon, it did not change much because there were now too many doubting Thomases who had not heard of any personal person being infected or dying from the virus.
Then came the festive season. It was quite shocking to see people who consistently complained that they had no money because the COVID-19 and lockdown slowed their business partying here and there, all through the season, while of course, disregarding safety protocols put in place because in their minds, the pandemic is dead or was a hoax all along.
Finally, after all the festivities and partying, here we saw some of our favorite ‘social media personalities and influencers’ feeling sick and taking Coronavirus tests. Well, a lot of them said it was precaution but personally, I know a few people who were confirmed positive for Covid-19 and had to self-quarantine for the recommended two week period to do the needed and thank God, they’ve all recovered.
I will admit, I thought Covid-19 was a hoax too at some point but after seeing the pain that my ‘personal person’ went through for those two weeks of his (or her) life, believe me when I say that Coronavirus, just like we saw it last year, is really no joke.
If you’re not so particular about your health or your life, at least care for the people around you. Don’t get infected so that you don’t get anyone infected and don’t let your loved ones cry over your dead body. Wear your nose masks, wash and sanitize your hands regularly, and maintain social distancing as advised by health professionals.
By: Maureen Dedei Quaye