A chief forecaster at the Ghana Meteorological Agency has encouraged Ghanaians to stay hydrated throughout the harmattan season to avoid infections, particularly respiratory infections. Raphael Osei Boakye stated that we are witnessing an extreme Harmattan season in December and January 2023. He linked it to the arrival of a dry continental wind in the country.

Speaking, he said the season will dehydrate us, thus we must drink enough of water. “We should drink a lot of water and stay hydrated throughout the period. Without drinking water, you could get sick. The weather is dry, and the possibility of people getting dehydrated is high. So drink enough water to prevent you from getting sick.” He further asked Ghanaians to wear their nose masks during this period to avoid taking in a lot of particles into our respiratory systems because we are realizing that we have the dry continental wind invading our country.

According to him, the dust conditions are accompanied by winds that are coming from the northern part of the continent into our country. He has therefore asked food vendors, especially those who sell food on the street, to take the necessary measures to prevent dust from entering the food they sell to the public.

“For those who sell food on the streets, they should cover their meals to prevent dust from entering them. The dust conditions are severe, so we encourage them to take note of this. They should not only think of themselves and the profits they intend to make.”