On 30 January 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus infection (later to be baptised as COVID-19) to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Ever since then, our television screens, radio and social media pages have experienced a flood of information almost on the same level as Noah’s. Between dodging eager sharers of death count (have fun sleeping after seeing that video of coffins in the Italian church), conspiracy theories (5G, more like DeathG), concerned aunties forwarding chain messages full of dubious medical advice (everyone has that one auntie), the whole experience can get overwhelming and one can find it difficult to get hold of real evidence based information which addresses specific concerns. More doesn’t always mean helpful as people who have tasted my cooking will tell you.
So we reached out to friends on social media to send us questions they still haven’t found answers to and contacted professionals to answer them. Don’t worry, none of them is your concerned auntie. You are safe here.
I buy vegetables from the market and wash them before cooking but I am worried that water and salt solution might not be enough.
Vegetables are very good source of vitamins and minerals which are very essential to boost the immune system and also help in the proper utilization of the calories (carbohydrates and fats). According to the WHO’s guidance on food safety, there is no evidence so far of viruses that causes respiratory illnesses being transmitted through food or food packaging. The virus spreads directly from person to person, when an infected person coughs or sneezes producing droplets that reach the mouth, eyes or nose of another person. However, droplets which might be too heavy to be airborne may settle on food substances or other surfaces for a relatively shorter period of time.
It is therefore important that you make sure your vegetable seller wears face masks and gloves and practises the COVID-19 personal hygiene guidelines. It is also important to wash your vegetables with salt water or vinegar before consumption.
I have been trying to eat healthy to boost my immune system, I hear fruits are a good addition to healthy diet. But I want to know what type of fruits?
Fruits are very rich source of vitamins and minerals which are needed for proper utilisation of carbohydrate, fats and proteins. Fruits also contain a lot of fibre that help reduce caloric intake and also help in freeing the bowel. Some fruits also have anti-oxidant effect, helping the body fight against free radicals which forms part of the body’s immune system.
There is no better fruit out there than the other, so, when it comes to fruit consumption the main consideration is to consider variety.
My pastor said Chloroquine is being used as a treatment and he recommends it. Ghana Health Service hasn’t said anything about that. Should I take it?
Covid-19 is a new type of Coronavirus and therefore information on it is limited. While there have been suggestions on the use of Chloroquine and
Hydroxychloroquine for treatment, there is not enough information on the results of using it making it difficult to approve its usage. I will therefore advise people to stick to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) recommendations as they are first to receive and assess all results concerning health as well as have a team of specialists from all health fields to make a rounded and evidence based decision.
Also, I will advise that these medicines should only be taken based on prescription from a registered health professional mandated to prescribe medicines and people should not self medicate.
My mother is trying to persuade us to use some local remedies to prevent the disease? How effective are these? (P.S: She says I should boil neem tree leaves in a pot, when it’s done, set it on the floor and cover myself and the pot in a blanket while stirring it)
I have also seen videos promoting ginger and garlic cloves but just as there is limited information on the results of Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine, so also is limited information on the results of herbal medicine for this new type of Coronavirus. Research is still undergoing to determine if some of the properties from these plants and spices can be used and if it can, what quantity of it one should take and for how long in order to prevent any negative side effects (life-threatening) that might be.
I will rather recommend the use of these spices in cooking food to minimise the use of processed spices, which usually contains high amounts of salt, a risk factor of hypertension, a condition that might make patients with Covid-19, worse off.
Someone unintentionally coughs on me; what are the next steps?
One first thing to know is that a cough is a reflex action just as sneezing and it all happens in response to the irritation of the airway especially in the throat and the wind pipe (trachea), so let’s come back the scenario, do I know the person who coughed on me? Are they someone I can suspect to be infected? What caused their cough? Or have they been coughing for some time? How close was the person when they coughed?
Best immediate action: move away from the individual quickly if possible, or in an enclosed area cover your mouth and nose immediately since the cough releases droplets but this doesn’t automatically enter your airway until you inhale, so you can reduce getting infected by covering your mouth and nose immediately. Where you can get access to water quickly wash your face with some mild soap and wipe dry.
Should my sister and I keep sleeping in the same bed?
Well, would that be after the first incidence or under normal circumstances should I use the same bed with my sister? In any case it’s such a difficult question to answer for a family who have shared lots of things for a while including sharing a bed and sometimes pillows that can’t easily be identified on the bed as they all may have same pillow slips and size as well.
It will be advisable to use separate beds or even better, separate rooms if this is to answer the scenario in question one, the most important thing here is keeping acceptable distance and not touching the face frequently or if you do then stick to frequent hand washing with soap and water, use hand sanitizer frequently even at home but not before touching any flame because the alcohol in the sanitizer may cause burns so for those who might be close to a fire source, hand washing is best.
Back to the questions as far as you are using different pillows, different bed covering and not sneezing or coughing while sleeping and most importantly changing bed linen regularly, you can still share a bed with your sister, but if you suspect you’re getting a temperature, sneezing, or coughing then you might have to explain to your sister so you can keep your distance just to protect each other until you figure out what could be causing the symptoms.
How many of the symptoms should I show before I get concerned?
First we know now that Covid-19 shows up differently in the African or black population, some may not show any symptoms at all when they get into contact with the virus yet they can still spread it to others. So for someone who frequently gets into contact with people in their field of work, it’s important to note these
- Persistent dry cough when you can’t really think of exposure to any irritating
object. - Increased respiratory rate or breathing fast when not engaging in any strenuous
activity like brisk walking or running. - Unusual feeling of chest tightness similar to wearing a very tight dress around
your chest that impedes your breathing. - Showing an unusual temperature rise or if you are unable to check your
temperature, when you feel extremely warm in a usually not warm environment. - Repeated feeling of general bodily weakness even when you have rested well
over night, muscle weakness that persist over a period of the day even though you
can’t remember undertaking any strenuous exercise. - The last symptoms to be worried about are: sudden onset of diarrhea and/ or
vomiting of an unexplained cause when you haven’t taken any unusual meals.
Age is an important factor in all the above listed symptoms therefore know your usual feeling of wellness as an individual for your age before getting worried so much about these symptoms and signs. Older women will usually experience hot flushes during the day, and sometimes during the night after age 40 which could possibly be related to early signs of menopause. Malaria may come with all the above signs too among all age groups and may even include vomiting and diarrhea.
Anyone who is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 can call the Emergency
Response hotlines to speak with officials and know the next steps to take.
Emergency-112
General Information-311
Hotline-0307011419
Mobile- 055 843 9868 / 0509497700
Will fasting (Ramadan) compromise my immune system?
Ramadan occurs in the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and it is observed by Muslims worldwide except pregnant, nursing or menstruating women, travellers, ill people, and the very young or the very old individuals as a month of fasting and a one of the five pillars of Islam, along with testimony of faith, charity, pilgrimage, and daily prayer. During daylight hours, Muslims abstain from eating any food, drinking any liquid, and other physical needs such as smoking and sexual intercourse.
Muslims fast from dawn until sunset, food and drinks are allowed before dawn and after sunset (these meals are called Suhoor and Iftar, respectively) It is therefore, important that Muslims get enough calories during the hours permitted to eat. This including getting enough of carbohydrate, proteins and fats as well as vitamin C, Iron and Zinc. It is a good idea to eat a variety of food, including lots of different coloured vegetables, fruits, pulses and legumes. Both under- and over-eating can affect the immune system so it is advisable to stay energy balanced. There is also a risk of individuals becoming dehydrated as it can affect the mucus that lines your airways and acts as a protective barrier. Having a good sleep and exercise as well as de-stressing can also help boost the immune system.
Are there tests available? Can I go to a health centre and ask to be tested?
The Ghana Health Service has adopted aggressive contact tracing and testing as a strategy to fight the virus. This means that anyone who might have come into contact with an infected person gets tracked and gets tested for the virus.
Anyone who is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 can call the Emergency Response hotlines to speak with officials and know the next steps to take.
Emergency-112
General Information-311
Hotline-0307011419
Mobile- 055 843 9868 / 0509497700
How useful are the homemade cloth masks?
According to WHO and the Ghana Health Service, homemade cloth masks provides a degree of barrier protection against infection in as much as it can keep larger particles such as respiratory droplets from spraying into the air when you cough, spit or sneeze. Covering your face will help prevent these droplets from getting into the air and infecting others as long as it done along with physical distancing and personal hygiene guidelines. Ghana Health Service and FDA have come up with the following standards for homemade cloth masks.
a) Java or Wax cloths sown triple layered and stringed with side loops to be
worn as hooks to the ear.
b) Calico inlaid with fabric stiffens and inner covered with side loops to be worn as hooks to the ear.
c) Homemade masks with strings to be tied behind the neck or head are not
encouraged.
d) Adult masks must not be worn by children -Child appropriate length masks must be worn by children.
e) Length: Cheek to cheek should be 10 inches Width: 6 inches Thickness: Not less than three layers
f) It is recommended that fabric used for face masks should be free from
chemicals. In any event that printed fabric is used, the layer of the fabric in
direct contact with the face should be plain and free from chemicals.
g) Reusable homemade face masks should be properly washed before reuse.
Used homemade face masks must first be disinfected; then washed with soap or detergent until clean, rinsed under running water; dried in the open sun and ironed before use.
Do you have any question we didn’t cover here? Leave a comment below this post and we will do our very best to address it.
Written by Michael Etrue
Contributing professionals
Yaa Boateng-Marfo, PhD
Charles Apprey, PhD
John Antwi
Irene Danquah, ANutr
Last page review: 23/12/2021
Next page review: 31/12/2024