A Campus Wake-Up Call: COVID’s Back at UG

I was grabbing coffee at my usual spot last week when my phone buzzed with a news alert that made me pause mid-sip: COVID-19 cases spiking at the University of Ghana, tied to their Hall Week festivities. I don’t know about you, but I felt a jolt—like stepping back into 2020, when every headline carried that familiar dread. One hundred seven confirmed cases out of 316 tested? That’s not just a number; it’s a reminder that this virus hasn’t quite left the stage. Ever get that sinking feeling when something you thought was history creeps back into the present?

There’s a strange mix of frustration and déjà vu in the air. The Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, laid it out plain: the outbreak’s linked to those packed student events, where masks and distancing probably felt like relics of a bygone era. I can almost see it—sweaty dance floors, laughter, the kind of carefree vibe you chase in your 20s. My friend Kweku, a lecturer at UG, told me the campus is in a bit of a scramble now. “Kids were just being kids,” he said, shaking his head. “But now we’re back to sanitizers and no parties.” The Ghana Health Service is all over it, rolling out testing and urging everyone to mask up in crowds. It’s mild cases so far, no hospitalizations, thank goodness, but still—it’s a lot.

I keep thinking about my own uni days, sneaking into overcrowded bars, thinking I was invincible. We didn’t have a pandemic back then, but we had our share of reckless moments. This outbreak, though, it’s a gut check. The World Health Organization says COVID’s no longer a global emergency, but “sporadic outbreaks” like this one are still part of the deal, especially in places where people gather like sardines. I remember my cousin’s graduation party last year—hugs, shared drinks, not a mask in sight. Were we tempting fate? Maybe we got lucky.

What gets me is how fast we forget. Ghana’s got a solid health system—new oxygen plants, vaccination campaigns, all that jazz. But Hall Week? It’s like everyone hit the snooze button on caution. The Minister’s statement was firm but calm: stick to the basics—masks, handwashing, maybe skip the packed events for now. It’s not lockdown 2.0, but it’s a nudge to wake up. My neighbor, a nurse, was ranting the other day about how people act like COVID’s gone for good. “It’s like they think it’s just the flu,” she said, rolling her eyes. She’s seen the “razor blade” sore throat from the new variants—sharp, brutal, not your average cold.

I wonder what those students are feeling right now. Embarrassed? Scared? Annoyed that their week of fun got them in hot water? The university’s shut down all social gatherings, and I bet the vibe on campus is tense. You ever notice how quickly freedom turns to restriction when something goes wrong? But maybe that’s the lesson here. Freedom’s great, but it comes with a side of responsibility. The Ghana Health Service is doubling down, screening, educating, trying to keep this from spilling beyond the campus gates.

So, here’s my take: this isn’t the end of the world, but it’s a reality check. COVID’s not done with us, and maybe we’re not done with it either. It’s like that uninvited guest who keeps showing up, forcing you to rethink your plans. I’m not saying we need to panic or lock ourselves away again, but maybe we can be a little smarter—wear a mask in a crowd, get tested if you’re coughing, keep the sanitizer handy. It’s not about fear; it’s about respect for the people around us. My mom used to say, “Better safe than sorry,” and I’m starting to think she was onto something. What about you? Are you ready to dust off those COVID habits, or are you hoping this is just a one-off we can forget by next week?