COVID-19: Funerals shouldn’t exceed 2-hours – Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has directed that, henceforth, funeral ceremonies should not exceed two hours.

He has also banned post-event reception services.

He said this forms part of measures put in place to curb the upsurge in COVID-19 cases in the country.

Addressing Ghanaians on strategies put in place to reduce the rising COVID-19 cases in the country in his 26th update, the President said: “funerals should not go beyond the two (2) hour time duration.”

He said the directive is part of recommendations made by the COVID-19 Taskforce.

“The COVID-19 Taskforce, which I chair, has recommended that a second look be taken at the protocols that have been put in place for the holding of funerals across the country,” the President said.

The President also said all events associated with funerals must be held in open-air spaces, adding that sympathizers at funerals must strictly observe the one-metre social distancing rule.

He said one-week observations should also be down within a two-hour period but restricted to only family members.

The wearing of masks and observation of enhanced hygiene protocols is also mandatory, while the duration for one-week funeral celebrations has been limited to just two hours.

These measures have been announced amid growing fears of a third wave of COVID-19 believed to have been caused by a new strain of the virus, the Delta variant.

There has been a rise in Ghana’s COVID-19 case count in the month of July, with more than 2,500 new cases recorded.

This has sparked concerns about a looming third wave of COVID-19 in Ghana.

The Ashanti and Bono regional directorates of the Ghana Health Service have expressed worry about the astronomical increase in cases in their regions.

The government has urged the public to strictly comply with the COVID-19 preventive protocols, and indicated that it is working to secure more vaccines to vaccinate all citizens.

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA), has also expressed concern about the current trend of positive COVID-19 cases in the country.

The Association says it fears that the country’s health system will not be able to accommodate the rising cases should the trend continue.