By Amin Kef Sesay
It is totally misleading for some to go along with the idea that this country is coronavirus free as it is indeed very realistic that we are living with a highly dangerous virus which has negatively caused so many dislocations in our midst.. It is but advisable for all to strictly adhere to the preventive measures that have been put in place by health professionals in order not to contract the virus, cut off the chain of transmission, one of which is to wear masks in public places.
In as much as one of the easiest ways through which the virus could be transmitted is via droplets that are spread when an infected person coughs or through spit, it is but recommended to wear face masks in public especially when talking face to face with other people in public.
If one person has the virus and spreads it to others, and then each of those people spreads it to others, within a short time, the virus can spread throughout a community. Most people with coronavirus have only mild symptoms or do not show any signs and symptoms. It is possible that you, or the person near you, has the coronavirus and do not even know it. While most people who have the virus feel fine, they can still spread it to others.
Some people who get the virus can get very sick and even die, especially people who are older or have other health conditions. We all have loved ones who are older and have other health conditions. Sometimes, people do not know they have other health conditions until they get worse and get sick. Those other health conditions, even when we do not yet know about them, can make our bodies weaker in fighting other sicknesses, like coronavirus.
But there is hope! If we come together in solidarity; if we pledge to wear a mask when in public correctly and consistently; we can slow the spread. And we can save lives.
Wearing a mask shows you care for each other. “I cover my face to protect you; you cover your face to protect me.”.
Science postulates that community masking is critical to stop the spread of coronavirus. Until we have vaccines or medicines, mask wearing is one of the best tools we have that we can all use (along with social distancing and hand washing). We now know that any of us could be carrying and spreading the virus, even if we’re not experiencing symptoms.
#MaskUpSalone Studies continue to prove that more mask wearing, together with handwashing and physical distancing, helps stop the spread of coronavirus in communities everywhere. The coronavirus pandemic is not over. It is still here and spreading in Sierra Leone, and it is spreading rapidly in far too many places around the globe.
Wearing a cloth mask correctly over your mouth and nose helps catch the spray of those small liquid droplets from going into the air or onto surfaces that could then spread to other people and make them sick. That is why wearing a cloth mask correctly, even when we feel healthy, helps stop the spread of coronavirus and protects our loved ones.
Cloth masks used alone do not stop the spread of coronavirus, but they can help when used together with other actions. The most effective actions to protect yourself and others against coronavirus are to wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitizer, cough and sneeze into your upper arm or sleeve, and keep a safe distance of at least 1 meter or arms-stretched length from others. Corona fet na we all fet!
