Beware, Covid-19 Has Gone Down , But Not Totally Out Yet – Director General GHS
The Director- General of the Ghana Health Service , Dr Patrick Kumah Aboagye has advised Ghanaians to stay awake and observe the Covid 19 protocols where necessary because the disease is not COMPLETELY out of the Country even though it has come down drastically.
Addressing Newsmen at the ministry of information on the update of the scourge, he reechoed the president’s directive that sought to suggest that the wearing of masks is discretionary but not mandatory like previously. This however does not suggest total abolition of masks wearing. He admonished Ghanaians to wear masks in closed environments like lifts, planes , super markets, churches, tubes where there is no proper ventilation and social distancing. School authorities , establishments and churches were all called upon to observe the prescribed protocols. The D-G intimated that it’s heartwarming to see our infection rate slow down considerably but China is still languishing in lock-downs and experiencing hikes but here in Ghana our rate has dropped down.
He gave the statistics to buttress his submission. As he spoke, the active cases were now standing at 40 ; no severe or critical cases ; 4 regions ; Ashanti, Greater Accra,Bono and Upper East Regions have active cases whiles 12 regions have zero active cases. The death rate is 1445 with 0.86 % positivity rate. Giving reasons for the low rate the Director General stated that it was as a result of the administration of vaccination and measures put in place by the government and his outfit. So far, about 30 million doses of various vaccines have been procured with over 14.9 million doses administered. About 6 million are available for use. About 30 % of Ghanaians have vaccinated, 13 % fully vaccinated whiles 6 % have received the third booster .On the other hand, children under 15 and pregnant women have so far not participated in the vaccination exercise.
He warned that those who have not vaccinated are susceptible to severe attack if the there’s going to be a new wave but those who have been vaccinated may not suffer severity if even they get it in future. With the reopening of the country’s borders , he indicated that measures have been put in place to check importation of the disease. As of now no new cases have been recorded as GHS staff are at the borders and all entry points to screen and /or vaccinate entrants.
Those unvaccinated are vaccinated and those vaccinated are allowed in. The same applies to the country’s airports. New arrivals will be required to show their certificate of vaccination or made to go through vaccination if otherwise. He told the journalists that in all the entry points there hasn’t been any reportage of high rate cases . So far Greater Accra as usual leads in the active cases before the Ashanti Region.
Source: Nana Poku /johnawuniktv@gmail.com
