COVID-19: Achieving herd immunity is a collective responsibility – Dr Tinkorang

Dr Emmanuel Tinkorang, the Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, has reiterated the need for all stakeholders to support vaccination campaigns against COVID-19.

He said achieving herd immunity in the fight against the global pandemic was a collective responsibility of all Ghanaians.

Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease. The spread of disease from person to person becomes unlikely when herd immunity is achieved. As a result, the whole community becomes protected — not just those who are immune.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) ahead of another round of COVID-19 vaccination exercise, Dr Tinkorang said vaccinating a chunk of the population was the best way to reduce the risk of transmission.

The exercise, which is scheduled for February 20 to 24, seeks to vaccinate more people in the region with the ultimate goal of achieving herd immunity as required by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

A total of 4,107,365 doses have so far been administered in the region with 1,682,850, representing 52.2 per cent fully vaccinated.

With 17.8 per cent of the eligible population left to achieve herd immunity, the Regional Health Directorate seeks to encourage about 2,381,435 people who have taken at least one dose to go for the second dose.

This, according to the Regional Director of Health, would help achieve the much-desired herd immunity in the interest of public health.

He said mobile vaccination teams would be deployed across all 43 districts to administer the vaccines and urged the public to avail themselves of the all-important national exercise.

They can also visit any nearby health facility for their jab not only to protect themselves but their loved ones and society at large.

Dr Tinkorang reminded those going for the second and booster doses to carry along their vaccination cards.