Amidst the confirmation of two cases of Coronavirus pandemic in Ghana the Archbishop of Ghana’s Capital, Accra John Bonaventure Kwofie, CSSp, has directed the Youth and Vocation office to postpone the upcoming Archdiocesan World Youth Day celebration where about 6,000 youth will be gathered for the local celebration.
“In consultation with Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, the Archbishop of Accra, it has come become prudent and necessary to postpone indefinitely the 2020 Archdiocesan World Youth Day scheduled for March 27-28 at the St. Andrew RC Basic School Park at Kordiabe.”
A letter dated March 13, 2020 to all youth Chaplains and youth of the Archdiocese and signed by Fr. Osmund Kudoloh, the Youth and Vocations Director and Lawrence Kwame Okyere, Secretary of the Archdiocesan Youth Council stated that: “this decision is a precautionary measure in the face COVID-19 pandemic.”
The Youth and Vocations office of Accra encouraged all youth and children to avoid shaking hands and regularly and thoroughly wash their hands under running water and use of alcohol-based sanitizer.
“Keep distance at least two meters from a person with fever, cough, sneezing and difficulty in breathing,” the letter cautioned, asking the youth and children again to stay home if you feel unwell with symptoms of fever, cough and difficulty in breathing
Prior to the postponement the World Youth Day, Ghana’s Ministry of Health announced March 12 that two cases of coronavirus infection (COVID-19) have been confirmed in the country. At an impromptu press briefing, streamed live on Facebook on Thursday evening, the Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu announced that these were the first two cases confirmed in Ghana.
With the cancellation of the 2020 Accra World Youth celebration, Cornelius Courage Ameada, Secretary, Tema- Battor Deanery Catholic Youth Council, shared his thoughts on the COVID-19 on Facebook for the attention of the Catholic Bishops of Ghana.
He said the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus is becoming an issue of great concern, and “whiles I congratulate our Bishops for taking the step of managing the spread of the disease by frowning on handshakes during Mass, I feel the directive will not be enough should there be an outbreak.”
“We are told alcohol-based sanitizers have a high tendency of preventing the spread. It will be prudent enough for us to have such hand sanitizers well installed at the entrances of all chapels with extensive education on how to use them,” he proposed to the Bishops of Ghana.
According to the Youth Secretary, since “All chapels have such beautiful fountains filled with Holy water with which we sign ourselves with the sign of the cross. Knowing very well the importance of such installation, I feel such fountains must receive the same directive as with the handshakes,” adding that “I have very little knowledge on the viability of the Virus in water but should there be a carrier who uses such fountain, there may be easy transfer.”
With suggestions that banknotes could be a possible mode of transmission or spread of the disease, he suggested to the Ghanaian prelates to consider “If such is true, there should as well be a directive on receivable of money in our churches.”
“It will, therefore, be prudent enough for our Bishops conference to direct all parishes to get Money counting machines and ensure persons that help in the regard are well protected by use of hand gloves changed within 20mins
This I believe would help a lot.
On safety in our schools, he recommended that “there should be the same directive to have same measures applied in our schools,” saying that “There must be very conscious efforts to teach our children how to manage the disease as well.”
Source: Newswatchgh.com
