The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has recommended to Ghanaians the use of hand sanitizers that have a 70 percent alcohol base standard to help in the prevention and spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Dr Lawrence Lartey of the Disease Surveillance Department (GHS) said alcohol, the main ingredient in hand sanitizers, among others could destroy viruses and that the less required quantity in the product would not serve the intended purpose hence, the need for all to ensure they purchased a quality one.

Dr Lartey gave the recommendation at an awareness creation workshop for Faith-Based Organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations on COVID-19 in Accra.

The programme, organised by the Ghana Health Service was to empower religious leaders and non-profit organisations by providing them with the necessary information about the disease to enable them to play lead roles in the fight against the virus.

According to him, one needs a very high concentration of alcohol to achieve the same effect of killing viruses.

He said due to the fast spread of the flu-like virus, it was important people kept hand sanitizers with them and practiced proper handwashing with soap under running water to keep themselves safe.

To reduce the risk of passing on the disease to other people, he said, it was important people covered their mouth and nose with a tissue or to bend their elbow when coughing or sneezing.

COVID-19 is a new disease that has not been seen in people before, and there is no vaccine available at the moment, therefore all need to exercise extreme caution to limit the spread of the virus.

The virus, which has so far spread to more than 100 countries and territories since its outbreak in December last year has killed over 4,600 people worldwide.

The WHO on Wednesday declared the COVID-19 a pandemic after more than half of the world’s countries recorded cases of the virus.

Ghana on Thursday confirmed its first two cases of the virus.