THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
The African Network of Germany (TANG), a network of more than 700 African associations and individual members in Germany, has started a campaign to provide information about the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) to Africans living in the country.
Dr Sylvie Nantcha, chairman of TANG, said the organisation launched the awareness and sensitisation campaign as its contribution to national efforts to contain the spread of the disease.
The action tagged Coronavirus TANG #Telefonaktion, which kicked off on Tuesday, mobilises community associations to inform their members properly about the coronavirus pandemic and the efforts of the government to curtail it.
The campaign has already reached 28 community associations in its first day. “All those we have called so far were happy to be informed in German, English, French, Foula, Malenka, Susu, Pidgin and other African languages,” TANG said in a statement.
The initiative provides information from the federal government and the Robert Koch Institute, which is Germany’s centre for disease control. Africans are also advised to check on information and advisories issued by their local and state governments.
TANG generally advises that:
- Personal contacts should be avoided as much as possible since one cannot know for certain who is infected or not as most infected persons do not show any symptoms. This obtains for children as well. Children playgrounds are closed and should not be visited by children
- Avoid shaking hands
- Gathering in churches, mosques or synagogues is banned
- Private travels within Germany are not allowed
- Gathering of persons in private groups or for meetings of associations is banned. People should not think that because they don’t have to go to work gives them the opportunity to gather privately as the risks of infection are always present
- People should regularly wash their hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol, and wash with soap and water as soon as you can
- People should maintain at least 2 metre distance from one another
- Avoid close contact with anyone that has fever and cough
- People should avoid openly coughing and sneezing. When coughing or sneezing, cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue. Throw away tissue immediately and wash your hands
- People with symptoms such as coughing, fever and sore throat and have difficulty breathing should contact the emergency service to be tested
- People living in groups or hostels should be very careful to avoid being infected. They should observe one another for any signs of possible infection
- People should disregard Fake News such as that Africans are immune to the coronovirus as several Africans have died of the disease in Europe.
TANG advises members of the African community to keep safe by observing the above rules. The action, which aims to reach 7000 persons and 700 associations in the African community, will run until the end of April.
READ ALSO Frequently Asked Questions on the coronavirus
In total, 7,156 COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths in connection with COVID-19 have been electronically reported in Germany as of 17 March 2020. In addition, two German tourists died of the disease in Egypt. All 16 federal states are affected.
Femi Awoniyi
More about The African Network in Germany (TANG) at http://tang-ev.de/
