Coronavirus vaccines arrive today

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister-designate for Information has announced the first batch of Covid-19 vaccines for the country will arrive later today.

Speaking at the Conference and Donor Presentation for the Sustainable Development of Yendi Municipal Hospital, Oppong Nkrumah said that he attended the program despite having another task connected to the delivery of the first batch of vaccines.

“… though I have another engagement on our COVID-19 vaccines that are arriving early [Monday] morning”, Oppong Nkrumah said.

Per the government’s rollout plan, health professionals will be the first to be vaccinated.

Also, due to the prevalence of the virus in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions, they will receive priority in the roll-out of the vaccine.

The government is targeting vaccinating 20 million people between March and October this year.

Already, the Food and Drugs Authority has approved the AstraZeneca and Sputnik V vaccines for use in Ghana.

Plans are also underway for the purchase of 350,000 doses of the AstraZeneca by the end of February.

In an attempt to clear misconceptions about the vaccines and enhance public confidence in the exercise, some public officials and celebrities will take their vaccines publicly.

The National Commission for Civic Education, Information Services Department, and the Ghana Health Service will also embark on a sensitization program.

Ghana has had 80,253 cases of the virus and 577 deaths since recording its first case in March 2020.