The Herculean trials and commands that the Pandemic of COVID-19 will impose on many of us will expand our awareness outside of the customs and comfort practices that we have become accustomed to seeking refuge within.

This is a ‘virus’ that so far has no cure and none in the immediate weeks ahead. We should tabulate in a simple format what is so far known for example;

1- COVID-19 is an infectious disease, unknown before its outbreak in Wuhan China.

2- The Coronavirus belongs to a family of viruses that range from the common cold to its highly evolved expression that came into focus with the deadly

3–Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) that broke out in 2012 and surfaced again in 2019-20 has so far recorded deaths of 871 souls, and the- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV-1) that broke out in 2002 to 2004 in Foshan, Guangdong, China. The current Coronavirus is determined as a related virus strain of SARS-CoV-1 and is termed (SARS-CoV-20.

3- The first SARS was linked to an animal to human connection of infection transfer, so far this SARS- Cov-2 is not linked to any animal to human infection, and the previous SARS infected 8,000 people with recorded deaths of some 774 souls. But do countries always tell the truth?

4- Our most important consideration in the interest of our, and immediate family health, is that this is a respiratory infection. This means that it infects the lungs so we can presume that the lungs would be damaged as a result of being contaminated, more so as the health officials indicate if there is an existing health condition. When the mosquito-borne Virus of Chikungunya hit this country, someone close to me was infected. After it subsided, for about a year following that person had structural pains in the limbs, no information to my knowledge implied what after-effects to expect.

Thus, it would seem that the only front defence is to respond to the preventative measures against infection, common to the relationship in nature that this pandemic has, which are the known symptoms of contamination of the Corona-Flu family of Viruses.

5- Understand, however, that this is not the Flu, this is a powerful scourge, a killer more powerful that the SARS-CoV-1 whose nature is still currently scientifically unmasked, so avoid coughs, being in the line of sneezing persons, wash your hands, spray shoe-soles and change clothing upon arrival at home, we lean, we sit, we brace, not knowing who sneezed in their hands and wiped drippings on that spot. This virus is potent (alive) some 30-45 minutes after coughed or sneezed out – see the WHO online guide on COVID-19.

One source contended that- “A frenzy of research is underway, but most studies are small and limited. The first few months of this crisis have brought a few new findings on treatments and plenty of confusion”-see online: BUSINESS INSIDER. Do not get caught in the confusion, follow the advice of the health professionals and keep clean.

On the subject of cleanliness I want to share with you some surprising data I picked up while doing the script for a two-part Illustrated series I did over a decade ago called ‘The Adventures of Brer Anancy’, I was researching the Kingdom of Ashanti, I needed to know where and how the tribes that gave us Anancy and our National Hero Kofi lived.

The much-touted book I was trying to get by Captain Rattray on the Ashanti was not available in our libraries and the only, single offer online was way out of my economy. So I downloaded a document titled “AMA, A story of the Atlantic slave trade”. In the context of modern behaviour, let’s judge the ancients for managing an infectious crisis. AMA; “By report, a trading party sent into the northern highlands by of Asante by Kwaadu Yaadom, under the command of her servant Ata Obese, was on its return journey near the Nsuta town of Asaaman, when smallpox broke out in its ranks. Messages were sent to Kumase [the capital] to inform Kwaadu Yaadom of the misfortune, who in turn asked the Asaamanhene to make available a site at which the traders could be isolated.

Subsequently, after the disease had run its course, Kwaadu Yaadom granted Obese and her followers’ permission to remain on the farms which they had made near Asaaman.” Thus, the concept of containment with its economic consideration rather than banishment was functional in the old world. Another necessary extract from this document is as follows, AMA; “the town itself was evidently well laid out, with wide streets planted with shades trees and flanked by houses.

The walls of the houses were decorated with mural designs executed in relief, like those of the palace… there were four main streets, each about half a mile long and from fifty to one hundred yards wide.” The Ashanti whose blood is in many of us seem to have been more astute with town planning several hundred years ago.

Another pertinent concluding extract to our current time reference from ‘AMA’ is the following “The better houses had internal pit latrines of considerable depth, down which boiling water was poured daily. The yards and streets were swept regularly and all rubbish was burned every morning at the back of the streets.” The bath was also a type of ritual that began with warm water and concluded with a probable shea butter skin crème application. The essence of this is ‘Hygiene’ our responsibility is to monitor our community and the occupants of the home.

One of the most vulnerable groups are the drug addicts, especially those who return to homes from visits into ‘Drug Yards’. Whether in the yard or in squat groups, they have the potential for TB, Syphilis, and ever communicable disease existing. I am fighting the addiction of a close relative for some seven years, and without the drug yards, I have witnessed the free moving drug sellers, they would surprise you.

This is one area where the addicts have to be the policy objective, and I have recently explored one area for proactive action, and there is no corresponding policy. I can only anticipate that at the end or during this COVID-19 pandemic a hands-on awakening occurs.