Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu has urged Ghanaians to learn to live with the coronavirus because it has come to stay.

He reiterated the need for strict adherence to the World Health Organisation (WHO) protocols because that is the means of survival.

“The last time I came here, I made some factual statement that coronavirus has come to live with us. It will have nowhere to go and we’ll have to learn to live with it.

“There is no medication that we can take, there is no vaccine against the virus but there are certain things we know we can do to protect ourselves,” he told journalists at a press conference in Accra.

According to the Minister, observing preventive protocols such as wearing of face masks, hand washing, observing social distancing and frequently sanitising hands are ways controlling the virus.

“If you don’t need to talk don’t talk especially without the mask. We have been told that we shouldn’t laugh, we shouldn’t even sing. If we don’t observe these basic guidelines, things will continue to spread,” he said.

Ghana is said to be among countries doing well with its management of Covid-19 cases. There have been fewer deaths recorded in the country although cases keep increasing daily.

As of May 15, Ghana’s positive cases stand at 5,530, with 674 recoveries and death toll still at 24, with some regions still recording zero cases.

Mr Agyeman Manu said this is as a result of adherence to preventive protocols, however, some people are still adamant with adherence.

“Some regions are devoid of the virus because authorities have been stringent with measures by closing down overcrowded markets,”

“The impact is very severe elsewhere because people are dying in numbers. Here in our country, we are now seeing community spread but we are not dying.

“Though our death rate is very low, that doesn’t mean that we should allow ourselves to be affected by the disease. What we have to do now is to live with it and learn to manage ourselves against it,” he said.

“If you don’t need to talk don’t talk especially without the mask, they are telling us that we shouldn’t even laugh, we shouldn’t even sing.

“If we don’t observe these basic guidelines, things will continue to spread,” he said.

Mr Manu said despite the increasing cases, life still needs to continue.

“The spread may not encourage the president to release restrictions and I’m pleading that the type of education we are getting should be taken into consideration and protect yourselves and ourselves.

“It may be uncomfortable but it’s our only means of survival,” he said.