Ex-President John Dramani Mahama has sought to question the logic in President Nana Akufo-Addo's lifting of the partial lockdown in the Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi, Kasoa and its environs.
President Akufo-Addo, in his 7th address to the nation on the COVID-19 pandemic, told Ghanaians that upon the indepth knowledge that his administration and Health Professionals have acquired about the behaviour and mutations of the virus as well as adequate data on the epidemic, it was prudent to lift the lockdown but however cautioned Ghanaians to adhere to all safety protocols to guard against the spread of the COVID-19.
The President explained that "so far it has been established that the virus was imported into our midst from foreign shores, and is being spread through person to person contact. The majority of persons infected in Ghana have mild to no symptoms at all, whilst a very small number have required hospital treatment, out of which nine (9) persons, with underlying ailments, have died".
" . . we are introducing rapid results testing to augment our surveillance and enhanced contact tracing efforts, so that we can quickly isolate and treat confirmed cases. From the sixty-eight thousand, five hundred and ninety-one (68,591) samples tested, we have been able to understand better the dynamism of the virus, map out its geographic footprint, and establish current and potential hotspots. We have also been able to isolate and educate asymptomatic carriers, and, thereby, help minimise the spread of the virus...lifting these restrictions does not mean we are letting our guard down. All other measures are still firmly in place," the President expounded.
But according to Ex-President John Mahama, President Akufo-Addo seems to have jumped the gun in adopting a strategy called ''herd immunity'' to fight the pandemic.
Herd immunity is the idea that if the coronavirus keeps spreading, more people will be infected and eventually somehow the infected persons will become immune leading to the end of the pandemic as the virus finds it difficult to find a susceptible host.
This strategy was suggested by Chief Science Adviser to the UK government, Patrick Vallance who believed the UK needed to “build up some kind of herd immunity so more people are immune to this disease and we reduce the transmission'', and as a result the pandemic will fizzle out on its own.
Addressing the nation via a digital conversation on Thursday, April 23, 2020, Ex-President Mahama opined that the President might be putting many lives at risk by his decision-making.
''One gets the sense that perhaps because of the current low mortality and the cases we have confirmed, the President might be seeking to rely on what is called herd immunity as a strategy to fight COVID-19 but I dare say this is dangerous. We must remember that there are reports of re-infection occuring in some cases elsewhere and also prolonged immunity to the virus has not yet been proven at this stage," he stressed.
He called for better interventions to be made by the Akufo-Addo administration in fighting the pandemic because ''the burden of the coronavirus disease could potentially be very heavy. COVID-19 has overwhelmed the health systems of most advanced countries and can do the same in Ghana. The toll on our healthcare workers could be devastating. You can buy ventilators and other medical items on the market but you cannot go to the market and buy skilled doctors and nurses, and other medical staff".
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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SO J MAHAMA THINKS TALKING ABOUT COVIT 19, WILL LET HIM COMES TO POWER, NOBODY SHOULD LISTEN TO THIS DECEIVED GUY MAHAMA, HE THINKS GHANAIANS HAVE FORGOT SO SOON.
There must be probity and accountability in government. Prof. Adu-Boahen talked about it. NEPAD highlighted it. It is one of the tenets of the New Patriotic Party. It appears journalists have been bribed, and so many of the issues have not been given the attention they deserve. Rumor has it that some are looking for some appointments. This must change.
JM was CRITICIZED FOR NOT ABLE TO OFFER ANY OPINION CONCERNING THE NUMEROUS PROBLEM THAT SURROUNDED THE PARTIAL LOCKDOWN OF KUMASI AND ACCRA. THE LOCKDOWN WAS VERY EMBARRASSING TO THE SECURITY FORCES. JM IS ALSO CONDEMNED FOR HIS LOST OF IDEAS AND WORDS WHEN BOTH THE AIRBUS SAGA AND CORRUPT POWER DEAL EMERGED. ON THE ISSUE OF "HERD IMMUNITY", I AGREE WITH THE BRITISH SCIENTIST PATRICK VALLANCE. CAREFUL OBSERVATION OF THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS ACROSS THE WORLD, FROM ASIA TO EUROPE, TO USA AND THEN TO SOUTH AMERICA AND AFRICA SHOWS THAT COVID-19 WILL NEVER STOP TO SPREAD UNTIL IT HAS AFFECTED EVERY SURVIVING PERSON ON THE GLOBE. THE SUCCESSFUL WAY THEN TO FIGHT THE VIRUS IS NOT TO STOP ITS SPREAD BUT TO STOP ITS ABILITY TO CAUSE DEATH. HENCE, IT IS BETTER TO ALLOW IT TO SPREAD AT THE TIME WHEN IT IS NOT KILLING THAN TO ALLOW IT TO SPREAD DURING COLD WEATHER WHEN THE DEATH RATE BECOMES HIGH. OTHERS ATTRIBUTE THE LOW DEATH RATE IN GHANA TO THE LOCAL HEALTH PRACTICES. IN NEW YORK SOME GHANANIANS GOT INFECTED. THEY WERE CAUGHT OFF GUARD SO SEVERAL LIVES WERE LOST AT THE BEGINNING. AS MORE AND MORE RESORTED TO THE USE OF GINGER, LEMON AND OTHER TRADITIONAL CONCOCTION, TOGETHER WITH HOT WATER INHALE, MANY GOT CURED. GHANAIANS HAVE BECOME AWARE AND THEY ALSO HAVE RESORTED TO THE THERAPY TO SAVE THEIR LIVES. IT IS ALSO BELIEVED THAT THE VIRUS CANNOT SURVIVE LONG IN A HIGH TEMPERATURE. THEY GET WEAKER IN HEAT AND CAUSE MILD SICKNESS EVEN WHEN ONE GETS INFECTED. IN THIS CASE THE BEST WAY TO FIGHT THE VIRUS IN TROPICAL AFRICA IS TO GO BY "HERD IMMUNITY". THUS, LIFE MUST BE ALLOWED TO BECOME NORMAL WITH LITTLE RESTRICTIONS IN ORDER TO CONTAIN THE SPREAD WITHIN THE LOCAL HEALTH CAPACITY.
Just listen to yourself: "One gets the sense that perhaps because of the current low mortality and the cases we have confirmed, the President might be seeking to rely on what is called herd immunity as a strategy to fight COVID-19 but I dare say this is dangerous" The president stated categorically that his decisions were based on science and data. He also said he will not copy blindly what is happening in other countries? So why do you ignore all that and then go and take someone's opinion, and try to foist it on the president, and then proceed to make comments on that? That is pure mischief and you should know better. Coronavirus is not a path to your par0ch!al ambition to become president.
JM! Wa ye bone oh! Airbus CAR Power Please say something.
The man could not even think about having an ID system for the citizen of Ghana in dis 21st Century. He could not tackle the banking sector crisis. He is now the ideas man the world most serious problem.
This country is sick!! So the candidate of the opposition party can’t give an opinion???? Wow!!! Sometimes when i read the comments on this website, i realize why Ghana will never make it with democracy!!! Such low IQ’s and emotional people! I voted for Akufo-Addo yes! But so what??? The truth is, for the average Ghanaian, tribalism plays a 100% role in our political opinions and its just crazy!! LISTEN TO ME!! GHANA IS DYING! AND WE NEED TO GO BACK TO BASICS TO TRY AND KEEP HER ALIVE AND FIX HER! THAT BASICS IS “TRUTH”! REAL TRUTH!! Go and see the embassies!! Always crowded with people trying to leave for a better life! Every time i travel to Ghana, i see so many white people coming here!!! Why?? They make your rules, take your money and keep you where you are!!! And all this is done so silently without you knowing it!!! WE CLAIM TO BE CHILDREN OF THE LIVING GOD!!! WHY ARE WE ALWAYS BEGGING?????? ALWAYS WE BEG THE WEST!! DOESN’T IT SAY YOU’LL THE HEAD AND NOT THE TAIL???!!!!! GOD HATES HYPOCRITES AND LIARS AND I’M SORRY BUT THAT IS MOST GHANAIANS!! PASTORS ARE LYING, POLITICIANS ARE LYING, CITIZENS ARE LYING AND WE ALL GO TO CHURCH AND BEG GOD FOR SOMETHING HE HAS ALREADY GIVEN US!!! WOW!!! All people do here is insult! Rise above all the politics and see what is really going on!!!!
A desperate politician! Wanted power at all cost despite his incompetence. The worst president ever in the history of mother Ghana. In sha Allah, Mr. Mahama will not get close to the presidency again because he wanted power at all cost for his selfish gain. You do not dare compare or comment on wise decisions of president Nana Akuffo Addo, a man of exemplary leadership. I am asking Allah as his servant and at this time to prevent your coming back to loot Ghana's scarce resources again. Ghanaians do not have short memories as you may think Mr. Mahama. Why are you not answering or commenting on the airbus scandal? O Allah, protect Ghana from the second rule of John Mahama. O Allah, grant president Akuffo good health, long life, wisdom and patience to rule your people/Ghana. Ameen thuma Ameen.
So Mr Ex president, what is your solution?
MASSA, THIS ONE WILL NEVER BRING YOU TO POWER. GHANAIANS ARE WISER THAN THE WAY YOU THINK. DO YOU KNOW MORE THAN THE DOCTORS? TH1EVE, YOU ARE PART OF OUR PROBLEMS IN GHANA.