The Ghanaian Perspective: Opinion Articles on Current Issues

The wearing of face masks in public is mandatory and has for many become a means to make a fashion statement once they step out.

It is not surprising that masks have become fashion items instead of a functional piece of protective clothing.

Anyway, who said one can’t kill two birds with a stone?

What many are doing now is to choose the stylish custom-made face masks which often match their clothes, leaving the surgical face masks for the healthcare professionals.

Many have explained that masks have become a fashion accessory as they take up a fair amount of space on their faces, and that is why a large number of people are selecting pretty ones and those which are not too big to cover most part of their faces.

They, therefore, ensure that they pick the types they really love even if they are sold at high prices.

Fashion statement

In our society, cloth face masks have become very popular, and it didn’t take long for Ghanaians in the fashion industry to infuse their creativity into the design of face masks.

Indeed, if wearing face masks is for the long haul as the WHO has indicated, then it isn’t a bad idea at all to mask up with a pretty one just as any other wardrobe essential.

Little wonder that one would find many women and even men wearing face masks which match their clothes, while companies also use the masks to advertise their brands and logos.

Discomfort

Despite the discomfort associated with the wearing of masks for many, there was a hilarious moment for two ladies and me yesterday when we ran into one another on the stairway at the Ministries.

We realised all three of us had something in common - not the masks which are mandatory, but rather we all had on the GTP COVID-19 designs - the lockdown and Fellow Ghanaians fabrics.

As we gasped for breath on the stairs that morning, we burst out laughing through our masks while we took a moment to catch our breaths on the landing of the stairs before continuing up.

When I took a closer look at the ladies, I realised that ‘mehyia menua’, for we were both in the lockdown design. I must say she had a sassy mask of the lockdown cloth which was beautifully beaded on the outline to match her outfit, and I could tell she knew she was looking very good.

Yes, whether wearing masks or being in lockdown, we will always find an avenue to overcome dull moments and times.

Not surprisingly, many are now resorting to wearing face shields, unfortunately disregarding the good advice by the medical professionals that they do not provide a good enough protection. A large number of people now choose face shields because they are more comfortable than the masks, allow them to be recognisable and for the women, they happily can wear their makeup.

For over four months, some women have had to forgo wearing lipstick particularly because the face masks have made it redundant.

Encouragement

Ghanaians are finding ways to live with the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the survival of their businesses and most importantly their dear lives.

In everyone’s bag, vehicle or baggage of any sort, there is always a bottle or two of hand sanitisers and some other protective equipment for use.

Yes, whether wearing masks or being in lockdown, we will always find an avenue to overcome dull moments and times. Dare I say that life is full of challenges and the way individuals or groups solve each of the challenges often spell out how successful or otherwise they would be.

I am tempted at this point to echo President Akufo-Addo’s words of encouragement to all Ghanaians that: “This too shall pass.” Indeed, it shall pass!

But we shall always remember how we dealt with this painful period of our lives by spicing it up and doing the needful - following the required protocols to protect ourselves and rise above the chains with which COVID-19 sought to cripple us.

Many decades in the future, the children of this era will relate to their children and great grandchildren the COVID-19 pandemic and all the harm it wrought on the world and our country.