The Ghana Health Service at the back of research findings made on compliance of churches to COVID-19 protocols has warned church members to wear nose masks at all times including when singing.

Sharing the results of its research at a media briefing, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye revealed that among other things, 48% of some churches surveyed in Accra had members exchanging microphones during service.

He adds that only 41% of this number were actually frequently sanitising the microphones being exchanged.

He continued that in four of the churches, members were allowed to shake hands with each other in contravention of the COVID-19 protocols.

With the government instituting a strict 2-hour duration for church sessions, Mr Aboagye disclosed that the GHS through its survey again established that about half of churches actually do not abide by the directive.

“47% actually went beyond the acceptable duration against 53%,” he said.

Summarising the research finding, Mr. Aboagye said in all the churches visited, 90% of members wore their facemasks correctly whiles 6% did not. The proportion of facemask wearing was highest among church members (92%) compared to ushers/protocol/security (86%), pastors/priests/elders (83%) and choristers/singers (63%).

Speaking on recommendations outlined from the survey, the Director-General of GHS said, “In the church, everybody must wear a mask, if you think you can’t wear a mask during singing then don’t sing because that is when you really spread the virus.

"All ushers/security members should wear mask at all times because they are the ones who come in contact with nearly everybody. So that if they are not wearing mask, they pose danger to those who have protected themselves,” he stated among other things.