Ghana Health Service Says COVID-19 Pandemic Not Over As 31 New Cases Recorded Last Week

• The Ghana Health Service says the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over, so Ghanaians should adhere to safety protocols
• It has also urged people to utilise vaccination centres close to them to get immunised against the virus
• The warning comes as the country recorded 31 new COVID-19 cases last week

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has warned that the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over, so Ghanaians should continue to adhere to safety protocols.

The comment follows Ghana recording 31 new cases of COVID-19 last week.

Dr Kwame Amponsah-Achiano, Programmes Manager at the Expanded Programme on Immunisation at GHS, explained that the pandemic was never declared over.

He said only the emergency phase, which saw lockdowns, social distancing, and several other restrictions, ended.

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Dr Amponsah-Achiano said the pandemic is being managed effectively and has thus urged Ghanaians to get vaccinated and adhere to safety protocols.

He advised that people continue to wear nose masks when entering enclosed areas and prioritise hand washing and the use of sanitisers when entering town.

Meanwhile, getting vaccinated is the best way to protect oneself from contracting the virus. He urged Ghanaians to utilise public vaccination centres close to them if they are yet to be immunised against the virus.

He said the pandemic cannot be declared over until the majority of Ghanaians are immunised against the virus. According to a 2022 research report, about 27.9% of the country is fully vaccinated, with 37.8% receiving at least one dose.

AstraZeneca withdraws COVID vaccine for commercial reasons

Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca said on Wednesday that it was withdrawing the COVID-19 vaccine Vaxzevria, one of the first produced in the deadly pandemic, citing "commercial reasons" following a slump in demand.

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"As multiple variant COVID-19 vaccines have since been developed, a surplus of available updated vaccines exists. This has led to a decline in demand for Vaxzevria, which is no longer being manufactured or supplied," an AstraZeneca spokesperson said.

"We will now work with regulators and our partners to align on a clear path forward to conclude this chapter and significant contribution to the COVID-19 pandemic."

AstraZeneca rapidly developed the successful COVID-19 jab during the pandemic, which erupted in the first half of 2020. Vaxzevria, developed alongside Oxford University, was initially offered at a cost, but Astra decided in late 2021 to sell it for profit.

Akufo-Addo denies misappropriation of COVID-19 funds

YEN.com.gh reported that President Akufo-Addo said COVID-19 funds have not been misapplied, as suggested by a report by the Auditor General.

The audit report into COVID-19 funds found that huge funds were paid to the Ministry of Information staff as an allowance during the lockdown.

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However, during his SONA presentation in Parliament on March 8, 2023, the president said any objective scrutiny would find that the funds were used judiciously to fight the pandemic.

Source: YEN.com.gh