By PV Staff
The Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone is now fully in the consciousness of the Sierra Leonean, from the President to the ordinary man, woman and teenager.
In fact President Koroma last week announced new measures to mitigate and eradicate the epidemic which has killed over 200 people in Sierra Leone alone. The death toll is also high in neighbouring countries like Guinea and Liberia.
Among the measures announced in the speech by the President was to put aside Monday August 4 (today) as a Stay at Home Day and already sensitized and anxious Freetonians who are usually seen in their thousands in the streets have adhered to the President’s call as the composite photo above illustrates. Most of them have stayed at home quietly praying and reflecting on the calamity that has befallen the country and her neighbours.
Sources say the Ebola menace has imposed severe changes in the usually very friendly and gregarious Sierra Leonean life style. People hardly shake hands or hug each other these days because Ebola is said to be transmitted by human contact. Also, many people hardly go to mosques and churches for prayers, rather preferring to pray at home. The Chief imam of Freetown’s largest mosque has even warned Muslims to avoid hand shakes as much as they can. One Muslim cleric says the frequent ablutions dictated by the Islamic faith will help in the fight against Ebola.
Many Freetonian pleasure-seekers seem to avoid bars, Attaya "bases" and other entertainment spots in the last couple of weeks as health officials intensified Ebola campaigns in the city. Attaya is a kind of tea popular in Sierra Leone and other African countries. People could be seen huddled in Attaya shacks all over Freetown, clutching and sipping from Attaya glasses before the Ebola outbreak in the east of the country. That is largely not common any more. Some people have started wearing gloves and long-sleeved shirts, according to one commentator. The use of hand sanitizers and chlorine is now widespread.
Travelling and using public transport are now only undertaken when absolutely necessary for business, work, school or emergencies. Some schools in the interior where the epidemic started have been closed and the area quarantined.
Some airlines have suspended flights into the country as well as other African countries because of Ebola. Even far away London in the United Kingdom has put in place anti-Ebola precautions.
Photo credit: Claude Meama-Kajue.
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