127,000 persons have received booster dose – GHS

The General Manager of the Expanded Programme on Immunization at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Kwame Amponsah-Achianno has said although there is a decline in active cases of the coronavirus, the general public must continue to observe all the protocols as the Easter festivities approach.

As of Monday, February 28, over 12,637,542 doses of vaccines have been administered.

Out of this number 8, 793, 591 persons have had one dose, representing 44% of the initial target of 20million while, 4,867,214 persons are fully vaccinated representing 24.3% of the target.

Only 127, 214 persons have received booster jabs. The country’s active case count now stands at 667 with 85 new cases. 1,442 deaths have been recorded and 157,782 persons have been recovered and discharged.

The country’s total confirmed cases stand at 159,891.

In spite of the low infection figures, Dr. Amponsah- Achiano is concerned about the total percentage of the populace who are unvaccinated.

Technically, he doubts Ghana is close to the threshold of easing restrictions.

‘’it depends on our attitude. Those in Europe are not easing restrictions because cases are low but because a lot of people are vaccinated. So we cannot lose our guards now by easing restrictions when at least from the technical point of view. When we look at the total population, only about 30% have had at least one jab but if we work with the initial target of 20 million then at least 45% have been vaccinated. Now we have added 15yrs, 16yrs, and pregnant women so we need 72% of the population to be vaccinated. We have been here before. The Easter festivity is approaching. ’’

According to him, about 7 million doses of vaccines are currently in the cold room awaiting distribution.

‘’There are vaccines in all the regions. There is AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Johnson, and Johnson’’

Vaccine hesitancy however remains high due to the low uptake of covid vaccination in Ghana an issue the health service has been trying to cure through increased public education.