The National Port Authority of Liberia is fighting hard against the ebola outbreak by requiring all people admitted to Liberian ports to wear long sleeves and long pants.
Public Service Announcement
Published on Sep 29, 2014
Thursday, September 25, 2014
The Management of the National Port Authority (NPA) is pleased to remind all Port Users, Investment Partners, Employees and the General Public in Particular, that anybody wearing sleeveless clothes will not be allowed access to its facilities.
The enforcement of these measures are in straight conformity to the full implementation of the preventive Ebola measures being observed throughout the premises of the four sea Ports of the Republic of Liberia.
You are therefore advised to take note and wear long pants/long sleeves shirts /blouses in compliance to this and all other measures required to grant you access to the ports.
The NPA management is firm on implementing all preventive measures to maintain absolute Zero tolerance to the Ebola Virus Disease at its facilities, and would not compromise the safety of the entire port and its surrounding to the killer disease.
Restrictions on visitation at the ports are also being observed and only those having important business engagements or official arrangements will be allowed access to the ports after he or she must have gone through the routine preventive procedures that have been put in place by the NPA Management.
Thanks for your usual understanding and cooperation as we endeavor to win the war against the deadly Ebola Virus in Liberia.
Signed
Malcolm W. Scott
Public Relations Manager/ NPAApproved
Management/NPA-Liberia
It sounds like a few people were showing up in shorts & t-shirts.
Meanwhile, healthcare workers in full protective gear are still contracting ebola.
Um, good luck with the long sleeves and pants?
But to be fair, measures also include washing your hands.
Key amongst the NPA’s anti Ebola measures include: Compulsory temperature check at all entry points to the Port facilities; issuance of none Shore Passes, regular hand washing, reduction in the workforce and the establishment of a temporary Care Center at the Freeport of Monrovia.
A CDC delegation reportedly called the measures at Liberian ports “extreme preventative measures.”
Speaking during a visit at the Freeport of Monrovia Wednesday, the CDC delegation said the procedures being implemented by the NPA Management against the Ebola Virus are “ Extreme Preventive Measures” that are also in line with rigorous approaches in containing the disease.
But they’re also doing body temperature monitoring (has a comprehensive list of preventative measures):
• Everybody including employees/contractors/casual workers entering the Port premises will be subjected to body temperature monitoring and or digital temperature testing;
Cleaning staff are also using gloves, surgical masks, and chlorine-based cleaners.
They are taking matters quite seriously though. Anyone showing symptoms of ebola is being treated as a probable case.
• Everyone coming in contact with a stevedore showing symptoms of Ebola will be considered probable cases and treated as such;
So, while wearing long sleeves may seem like a band-aid on cancer, there are many other measures, including an emergency response team, and they are certainly trying very hard.
The NPA has also set up free storage for supplies to fight ebola donated by the Chinese government in August.
I started off with an alarmist joke about long sleeves in part to help draw attention and make a point: the seaports have largely been ignored in the news as airports are sexier (and faster), but these are critical points from which ebola can spread. Any sailing of less than 21 days should be suspect.
