COVID-19: Speak the truth about Akufo-Addo’s 14-day self-isolation – Minority

By Justice Dzido On Jul 9, 2020

The Minority in Parliament has called for what it describes better clarity on the grounds on which the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been advised to go into self-isolation after exposure to someone with COVID-19.

According to the Minority, it wonders why the President was directed to self-quarantine if reports suggest he has not tested positive for the virus.

In a statement, Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said the announcement of the President embarking on a two-week self-isolation over Coronavirus scare contradicts public health infection management.

“Few days ago, the Minister for Information in a statement issued stated that President Nana Akufo-Addo has gone into self-isolation for 14 days upon expert advice. He further asserted that the initial COVID-19 test on the President was negative. We believe that the statement is contradictory and confusing to the public. Why would the President go into isolation if he tests negative to COVID-19?”

The Minority, therefore, wants the Ministry of Information to explain further to Ghanaians what the true COVID-19 status of the President is to settle the confusion it believes has been created.

“From a public health point of view, persons who test positive to a virus are isolated whereas negative but highly exposed cases go into quarantine. The minister should, therefore, be clear with his statement and not seek to mislead the public,” the statement added.

Background

The President, on Saturday, July 4, 2020, began a 14-day self-isolation after getting exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

“On the advice of doctors, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is from today, July 4, 2020, taking a fourteen (14) day precautionary self-isolation measure in compliance with COVID-19 protocols,” a statement signed by Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah added.

The statement said, although President Akufo-Addo has tested negative for the virus, he has still decided to self-isolate “out of the abundance of caution.”