COVID-19 pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty and anxiety along with a steady stream of misinformation but fashion designers including seamstress, beauticians as well as hair dressers have commended the media for the accurate and reliable source of news on the coronavirus to the general public.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has encroached on nearly every aspect of live in the last few months, creating voracious appetite for fresh information about the coronavirus.
Having being inactive on social media, about 100 apprentice from 15 different training centers Rite FM’s Kodwo Boafo interviewed recognized the impact the media has made in forming their knowledge and understanding of the coronavirus disease.
While some persons including trainers recounted how they were practicing what they heard on television and radio, others explained the behavior, symptoms and preventive as well safety protocols that individuals are to observe.
Even though none of the trainees interviewed had Ghana’s current case count correct, they were aware the state recorded worrisome COVID-19 figures with some fatalities.
According to respondents, radio and television have been their main source of information, however, information vans, community information centers and friends also passed on the coronavirus message to them.
In May, the international Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance to say that Covid-19 spreads “very easily” from person to person through contaminated droplets produced by others as they talk, cough, sneeze and breathe.
Even so, the CDC, the World Health Organization and other health authorities including the Ghana’s Health Service, have emphasized that both washing one’s hands and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces daily are key in preventing Covid-19’s spread.
As if they are not aware, most of the apprenticeship shops this portal visited though have their face masks in their bags, but did not wear despite having poor sitting arrangement in the shops.
The development is worrying among the leadership of the Fashion Designers Association when Mr. Emmanuel Duku – Chairman of Odumase Krobo Tailors and Dressmakers Association expressed his concern over their apprentices disregard for COVID-19 safety measures.
“We are not happy, because at every opportunity to engage these apprentice, we educate them – bring health persons to talk to them on the need to take the protocols serious,” Mr. Duku lamented in a phone conversation with Omanba Kodwo Boafo.
At Alola Fashion in Manya Kpongunor in the Lower Manya Krobo municipal, the apprentice said, exchanging air between oxygen and carbon dioxide becomes difficult, risking their comfort to stay stable for work.
While some of the apprentices at their various shops did not wear their face mask, others who did had it placed or flew on their chins instead of over the nose and mouth.
Fashion Tips – Odumase Krobo
Though all the shops visited except Alola Fashion had their veronica buckets filled with water, either soap or tissue paper for cleaning the hands after washing was not available. However, thermometer gun for checking temperatures of workers and customers who may come for services was not seen except at Fashion Tips in Odumase.
Mrs. Odjidja Judith, the CEO for Fashion Tips who was sewing face mask for senior high schools as she was contracted by Free Zones Board said the coronavirus pandemic has affected her income following the ban on public events.
That notwithstanding, her shop is not leaving any of the COVID-19 protocols unpracticed. At the main entrance is a sizable fixed banner with the description “No Face Mask No Entry” to signal customers as well as the public who come to her shop to be in the face mask.
According to her, the daily working practice among her apprentice prohibit sharing of tools since that including adherence to the other safety measures could limit the spread of the virus.
Sharing how hairdressing apprentice are coping with the situation, Eunice Ofori said she undressed herself in the bath room, take her bath before entering the house to interact with her family.
“Immediately I get home I make sure I wash my hands before getting into my room. After wards, I remove my dress, get to bathroom after which I come back to eat and mingle with family members,” Eunice said.
On positive impact of COVID-19, Eunice Ofori added thatg “previously, I eat before taking my bath but due to coronavirus; I do the vice versa.”
At Nyame Bekeyere Fashion in Asesewa, the chairperson of the Upper Manya Fashion Designers Mrs. Stella Baah said a table which has 8 apprentices sitting around it is now reduce to 4, following social distancing arrangement.
Having fluently recited her indebt understanding of the safety protocols, said her shop has in place water, face mask for customers who comes to her shop without the mask, sanitizer among others. Stella who commended the Upper Manya Krobo District Assembly for supplying the association with personal protective equipments (PPE) and contracting it to sew face mask in large quantities, said a trainee has been assigned to ensure the public and customers who enter the shop adhere to the coronavirus safety measures.
“With veronica bucket and liquid soap from the district assembly, some of my apprentice receive you from outside the shop. They ensure you wash your hands, sanitize and wear your nose mask. I always educate my apprentice about the COVID-19,” Stella said.
The president of the Republic, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his 14th COVID-19 update to the nation on Sunday, 26 July, 2020, has advised Ghanaians to learn to live responsibly with coronavirus.
“These changes I have announced transition us into a new phase of our COVID-19 fight, in which we teach ourselves how to live responsibly with Coronavirus,” the president said.
Source: Omanba Kodwo Boafo/ritefmonline.org
