Exploring the Efficacy of Covid-19 Protocol of Wearing Nose Mask Among Ghanaian Market Women in Preventing the Spread of the Virus During Covid-19 Pandemic Period: A Study of the Market Women in Kaneshie, Accra

Abstract

This study explored the efficacy of the Covid-19 protocol of wearing nose mask among market women using women in Kaneshie Market, Accra, as a case study. The central argument of this study is that nose mask wearing is likely to prevent the spread of Covid-19 virus. However, evidence showed that most market women refused to wear nose mask hence increasing rate of the spread of the virus in Ghana. Quantitative method involving survey questionnaire and purposive and convenient sampling techniques, and peer reviewed articles as well as newspapers were used for the study. This study explored the rationale behind market women’s refusal to wear nose mask at market places; ascertain the efficacy of orientation given to market women on wearing of nose mask as a measure to prevent them from being infected by Covid-19 virus as well as to explore and analyse the challenges market women go through with wearing of nose mask. Findings revealed that most market women do not see the need to wear nose mask because they do not believe that Covid-19 is real and if it is, they have neither observed, seen nor heard anyone contracting the virus for not wearing nose mask. To them, Covid-19 is rather a myth. They would want to observe, see or witness someone with Covid-19 before they take the wearing of nose mask seriously. It recommends that the government should intensify her orientation to include provision of billboards, flyers, cartoons, adverts among other Covid-19 preventive measures. For those in lower-income neighbourhoods who may be more at risk and unable to purchase nose masks, the government should foot the bills. This study concluded that the market women’s responses to wearing of nose masks indicate that the use of nose marks has not yielded positive results. This is largely due to the fact that the orientation given the market women was not only been sufficient and effective, but also the fact that they considered the use of nose mask as unnecessary, hence this study makes the above recommendations.