Government is in the process of securing more Vaccines in order to reach the 20 million herd immunity target for vaccination by the end of the year.
To this end, it is in talks with other vaccine manufacturers such as Johnson and Johnson to achieve the set target. Director-General of the Ghana Health Service Dr. Patrick Kumah Aboagye who made this known at a media briefing in Accra also said people who are due to take the second dose will have it soon.
He allayed fears of people who have issues with the timeline for taking the second jab saying WHO recommends two standard doses of AstraZeneca administered within an interval of 8 to 12 weeks.
Dr. Aboagye explained that Ghana chose the 8 week’ interval as the earliest time one can receive a second dose having an additional 4-week window for any uncertainties and ease of deployment.
He however noted that those who have received their first dose are expected to receive the second within the recommended time interval or soon after, to allow for the optimum protection that is required. So far, more than 800,000 people have received the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine.
Dr. Aboagye explained that though some countries have suspended the use of the Johnson and Johnson Vaccine, the challenges associated with the vaccine are minor and the benefits far outweigh the negatives hence its consideration.
Dr Aboagye also spoke on the recent expired covid-19 vaccines in the Northern and Oti Regions. He said the actual number of expired vaccines in the Northern Region was 480 and not more than 1,000 as reported by some media houses.