By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
LOWER NIMBA, Liberia- Three residents of Saclepea, lower Nimba County in the northeastern region has been explaining their experience as to how wearing of Nose Mask help in curbing the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the residents, Alexander Gongbaye, a deacon of the Baptist Church here, says nose mask really helps to prevent the spread of Covid both in the church and community.
Since the virus first wave in 2020, 283 people have died from Covid, says the most recent update (September 23, 2021) from the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) and 5, 458 people have recovered from the pandemic..
Mr. Gongbaye attributes the reduction in the number deaths from the virus to strict enforcement of nose mask wearing by the state security apparatus. Other than that, he believes the death rate could have been higher than what is it today.
Despite security apparatus initial robust enforcement of mask wearing in the streets, they as church leaders also took the lead in enforcing the wearing of nose mask, because security apparatus were not always present at their various places of worship.
Mr. Gongbaye, said his Church followed all the health protocols and the congregation is still following the Covid preventive measures, calling on others to continue to follow the health protocols to have their communities free of the deadly virus.
Another strong believer in the efficacy of nose mask wearing is a student of the Johnny Vocker High School in Saclepea. Renna Duo thinks wearing the nose mask as students has prevented them from coming in contact with Covid.
Miss Duo told www.newspublictrust.com that nose mask has played a very important role in the fight against the virus and significantly reduced the chances of people contacting the virus.
“Imagine in a country where there no good school environment especially where classes of school are dining room and sitting close together, we never got the virus because we were constantly wearing our nose mask and frequently hands washing,” this female student explained.
This Johnny Vocker student then says “if someone who has the virus sneezes near you and you have your nose mask on, you are save from contacting the virus.”
Although it is not known exactly when this virus will come to an end, Miss. Duo is urging all students to take the position of always wearing their nose mask.
For his part, the Pharmacist of the Comprehensive Health Center in Saclepea, Farrington Gbolorwolo says wearing of nose mask is one of the most effective Covid preventive measures.
Mr. Gbolonwolo
“If you always wear your nose mask, it saves from contacting others transmitted diseases including dust and not only COVID-19.”
Mr. Gbolorwolo narrates that that once the nose mask is worn properly, “it will protect you from those who are diagnosed of COVID-19 virus, especially when they talking without having their nose mask on.”
He points out one common mistake that many people make in public gathering, especially when they are speaking.
“The mistake most people make is that when they are speaking at a program or public gathering, they remove their nose mask and when they’re done with their speaking, they put it on something he said it is risky for those who he or she speaking to and needs to be corrected to save more lives,” the Liberian Pharmacist in lower Nimba says.
According to him, even at his health facility, patients who do not have nose mask are always in confrontation with the security at the entrance, due to their refusal to wear mask which poses challenge for is a challenge for them.
Mr. Gbolorwolo has meanwhile, called on national health authorities and law enforcement officers not to stop enforcing the health protocols until Liberia is declared free of COVID-19 cases.