Government working to procure coronavirus vaccines – Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said government is working to ensure that Ghanaians are able to access safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines when they become available.

The President speaking in his update last Sunday on measures taken by government to address the spread of the virus said a team has been put together for the procurement and deployment of the vaccines.

“Ghanaians, the recent news of emergency approvals of COVID-19 vaccines, by the Food and Drugs Administration of the United States of America, and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency of the United Kingdom, provide considerable optimism and hope for the world in our battle to defeat the pandemic.

“Ghana, I assure you, is not going to be left behind in having access to the vaccines. I am aware of the anxieties relating to the safety and efficacy of newly-developed vaccines. Government will ensure that the COVID-19 vaccines to be deployed in the country are effective and are safe.”

“To this end, I have put together a team of experts, from the relevant institutions and agencies, who are working assiduously towards the procurement and deployment of the vaccines in Ghana,” the President said.

The availability of the vaccine will help restore calm to the economy which has been on the edge since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country in March this year.

While previous updates by the President announced the gradual easing of restrictions imposed to curb the virus, the President maintained that public places in enclosed spaces such as cinemas, night clubs and pubs are to remain shut.

“With barely a week to the Christmas festivities, which bring in its wake family reunions, parties and many social and religious gatherings, I urge all of us to err on the side of caution and observe the Covid-19 safety protocols no matter where we find ourselves.

The dynamics of the virus has taught us that, if you must host or attend such events, they are best held safely outdoors or in very well-ventilated halls, rather than in closed, air-conditioned spaces.

Even when organised outdoors, there must be adequate spacing for the maintenance of social distancing. Organisers of such events, public or private, should ensure the presence of ‘Veronica’ buckets, soap and sanitisers, and must insist that patrons use them as frequently as possible,” the President cautioned.