OCCUPYGHANA®️PRESS STATEMENT

UPTICK IN NEW COVID-19 CASES AND DEATH – GHANA NEEDS TO ACT AND ACT FAST

The Medical Team of OccupyGhana®️ has been studying graphs plotting new cases of COVID-19 against
time, and sees a relative period of quiescence from late August through much of October 2020. In the
first week of November, though, there was a noticeable spike in new cases that let up about two weeks
later. A similar phenomenon was evident as we entered December. Though new cases were more than
what was seen in September and October, the growth rate stayed stable.

However, January 2021 has seen a significant uptick in new cases and death. These changes are not
letting up three weeks into the month. The uptrends in new cases and deaths are noticeable and more
significant this time than back in November and December 2020.

OccupyGhana®️therefore states as follows:

1. The factor(s) driving these unfortunate changes are not letting up, and unless something drastic is
done, the situation will get worse. These factors leading to the uptrend are visible to most Ghanaians.
After almost a year of dealing with this disease, we have all learned the role social gatherings play in
spreading. We therefore ask the government to immediately ban all social gatherings till a marked drop
in new cases is seen. This will include funerals, parties, church services, night clubs etc. In short, any
gathering of more than ten people should be banned again.

2. Unfortunately, a ban might affect the recent and pending re-opening of schools. It will therefore be
imperative to explore expanding online classes, whether class sizes of those who cannot take online
classes could be reduced to a maximum of ten, and shift systems introduced. For parents who must go
to work, it is time for employers to begin conversations on ‘flexitime,’ which breaks the day into three 8-
hour cycles where parents could stay at home to supervise online classes and then report to work later
in the day. We must do whatever it takes to rein in this trend of infections, and it requires us to be
creative in how we think and how we do things.

3. It is our view that the experience from last year showed that a general lockdown is not sustainable. A
better alternative, we think, would be to identify and target the hotspots and at-risk groups and explore
ways to modify their behaviour. It is unfortunately evident that the social behaviour of those in the
middle class is driving this new uptick in cases and deaths. All efforts should be made to influence this
behaviour and reverse this trend.

4. Enforcing the mask mandate is also very important. Masks have been shown to break the spread. We
must enforce the terms of the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012). However, we think that
the punishments in the Act have hardly been applied. This is because although the prescribed fine of
between GHS12,000 and GHS60,000 and/or imprisonment between 4 and 10 years might have been
well-intentioned to be draconian and convey the seriousness of the situation, they have proven to be
unrealistic. Parliament has to consider an amendment of the Act in this light, to aid its enforcement and
to provide for realistic fines and other deterrents such as community service for those who breach the
law.

5. In the general public, there are still many misconceptions about the disease. Re-educating the public
about the disease, the myriad ways it can present and its short and long-term effects should be an
exercise our media houses can help with. We are inviting electronic media houses to commit to air
approved educational advertisements on the pandemic for a minimum cumulative period of one hour in
every 24-hour cycle, over the next month. Print media houses may also commit to print one full-page
advert three times a week.

6. Another factor leading to the uptrend is the new variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for
COVID-19. Consideration should be given to reducing travel to and from countries where these variants
are dominant.

7. We also ask the government to make more hospital beds available as all indications point to a dire
need for beds for the ever-increasing number of new cases that need in-patient care.

8. Ultimately, the best way out of the chokehold of this pandemic is a vaccine. Therefore, we implore
the government to spare no effort in getting doses of a COVID-19 vaccine for the country.

9. To all Ghanaians, even if you are one of those who will only get a mild case of COVID-19, the toll those
who suffer the severe version exact on the health facilities ultimately lead to a situation where help for
non-COVID conditions become very difficult or even impossible to obtain. The indirect effects of the
disease and a rampant spread are many. Therefore, it behoves us all to work to stop the uptrend in
cases.

In conclusion, it is essential for all to recognise the direness of the situation and act accordingly.

In the service of God and Country,

OccupyGhana®️

For further information, please contact Sydney Casely-Hayford (+233 54 876 2706)

info.occupyghana@gmail.com.