On March 12, 2020, Ghana confirmed its first two cases of COVID-19 infections.

The virus, that declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation, caused the world to embrace a new order, the New Normal.

A tall list of protocols have since been adopted to ensure the limitation of the virus spread. So important is this that the government of Ghana has had to enact new legislations to ensure public compliance to the New Normal.

However, the compliance to the protocols which includes the mandatory wearing of nose masks especially in public spaces has over time seem to be winding down by each passing day.

Among the people who have equally grown concerns over this development include the president who in his 16th Address to the Nation on the virus management reemphasized the existence of legal penalties for people who flout the protocols.

“Let me remind those amongst us, who want to continue to disregard these protocols, that severe sanctions exist in our laws for such persons, who will want to endanger the rest of the population through their actions and negligence. The law enforcement agencies will, where necessary, apply these measures without fear or favour, ill-will or malice, and without recourse to a person’s ethnicity, gender or religion,” he stated.

Speaking to some Ghanaians at lorry at park at Abeka Lapaz in Accra, most of them acknowledged the existence of the COVID-19 virus but yet had excuses to defend the fact they were not wearing a nose mask.

Others on the other hand, said they had questionable beliefs in the existence of the virus which makes it hard for them to practice the preventive protocols.

“I don’t believe the virus is in Ghana. Because when you look at other countries you see things like deaths and others that proves they have the virus. But in Ghana all we do is hear that people have it without seeing anything,” a commercial bus conductor told GhanaWeb TV.

Ironically the conductor had put on a nose mask which he had sagged below his chin.

Asked why he is wearing a mask when he does not believe in the reality of the virus, the conductor said he is only wearing a mask because it makes it easier dealing with passengers who seem to feel uncomfortable when he is without one.

Other people that spoke to GhanaWeb about the growing reduction in mask wearing amongst the Ghanaian populace advised on the need for the public to stick to getting used to the new normal, since the virus as it is, may have come to stay and will require lifestyle adjustments such as the wearing of nose masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Watch the GhanaWeb TV report Below: