Akufo-Addo to deliver 24th coronavirus address tonight

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will today, Sunday, February 28, 2021, give his 24th Address to the Nation on the fight against COVID-19.

The President’s address is scheduled for 8 pm and will be streamed live on www.ghanaweb.com.

The address comes two days before the nation kicks off its COVID-19 vaccination exercise having taking delivery of 600,000 AstraZeneca vaccines.

The president in his 23rd Address mentioned the growing number of COVID-19 cases and resulting deaths announced new measures to curb the spread.

“So, fellow Ghanaians, until further notice, funerals, weddings, concerts, theatrical performances, and parties are banned. Private burials, with no more than twenty-five (25) people, can take place, with the enforcement of the social distancing, hygiene, and mask-wearing protocols.

Beaches, nightclubs, cinemas, and pubs continue to be shut. Our borders by land and sea remain closed.”

It is to be determined tonight whether the President will announce new restrictions or otherwise but it is expected that his address will mainly be about the commencement of the vaccination exercise which targets about 20 million of the total population.

The Ministry of Information on Wednesday, February 24, announced the roll out plan for the vaccination exercise and the categorization that will go into the roll out.

The Ministry outlined that the vaccination exercise will be conducted in phases and will be targeted at segmented populations.

The earliest receivers of the 600,000 vaccines will be health workers, adults 60 years and over, people with underlining health conditions, frontline executives, members of the legislature, members of the judiciary and their staff, frontline security personnel, selected religious leaders, essential workers, and teachers.

Also marked to benefit from the first consignment of the vaccines are some personalities in the Greater Accra Metro including Awutu Senya and Awutu Senya East as well as a similar segmented population in the Greater Kumasi Metro area and the Obuasi Municipality.

Authorities in the country have so far approved two COVID-19 vaccines for use in the country. Besides the Indian-made AstraZeneca, clearance has also been given for the emergency use of Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine.

The country targeting 20 million of its 30 million-plus total population for vaccination in combating the global pandemic which has surged in the country over the past few weeks.