Low-key Christmas in Ebola-ravaged Sierra Leone
FREETOWN, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Imagine a Christmas without the singing of carols, but the hammering strains of sirens accompanying Ebola victims to either a treatment center or the cemetery.That is Christmas in the western area of Sierra Leone, including the capital, Freetown.
Earlier in December, President Ernest Koroma announced a series of measures restricting some of the freedoms of the citizens, all in the quest to contain the spread of the disease and eventually eradicate the virus completely from the country.
There was a huge compliance of the measures instituted to halt the high transmission of the disease.
On Christmas Eve, Xinhua observed panic buying among the citizens as they purchased essential commodities to stock up for the festivities. The usual vehicular traffic that used to convey citizens to their various regions was lacking because all inter district movements were banned except essential vehicles.
The northern region comprising of five districts and having about half of the 6 million Sierra Leonean population was locked down until the end of the Christmas festivities. Christmas Day was publicly observed in a low-key manner with only the Christmas Day service.
The usual cultural activities that formed part of the festivities was missing this year. There were no beach outings because the beaches were deserted, whilst bars and restaurants were also closed to the public.
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