Africa CDC urges enhanced anti-coronavirus public health measures
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Friday urged enhanced anti-COVID-19 public health measures as New Year festivities begin across the continent.
The agency said Africans who are celebrating Christmas and the imminent start of the New Year 2021 should apply public health measures such as avoiding indoor mass gatherings and practice social distancing.
The Africa CDC also advised consistent hand hygiene practices to prevent the overall transmission of Covid-19 including the new variants of the virus found in Nigeria and South Africa.
It noted that one in five Covid-19 infections in the continent happen inside the house by people who come visiting, making it all the more urgent to strictly follow public health measures.
Speaking during a virtual press conference on Thursday, the Africa CDC’s director, John Nkengasong, said people should celebrate New Year festivity with “care and safety” at hand.
“Diligently following good public health practices can prevent a spike of COVID-19 cases in the next two months in the African continent,” Nkengasong said .
“Covid-19 is also damaging African economies and posing serious harm to lives and livelihoods across the continent. We need to follow good public health practices at this unprecedented time,” he added.
Olajumoke Adeleke
