Coronavirus: There is no evidence of safety in taking different vaccine as second jab – GHS

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has advised against the taking of a different COVID-19 vaccine for all persons who have already received their first jab of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Director of the GHS, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye commenting on the hypothetical question, “Is it safe for those who have taken the AstraZeneca vaccine to complete their dose with the Sputnik V vaccine?” on the Happy Morning Show he stated, “There is no evidence of its safety or whether it will work”.

According to him, medical experts around the world agree that if one takes the AstraZeneca vaccine for her or his 1st dose, then the person must take the same AstraZeneca vaccine as the 2nd dose and “that is the same for those who take the Sputnik V”.

He noted that globally, this is the norm and until proven otherwise, no one should take the 2nd dose of a vaccine different from what was taken as the 1st.

Dr. Kuma-Aboagye speaking to host, Samuel Eshun reiterated, “We have no such evidence that taking two different vaccines for your 1st and 2nd jabs is safe and efficient. If we however receive evidence that it is safe and produce good results, we will look at it”, he shared.

Ghana began its coronavirus vaccination drive on Tuesday March 2 with 600,000 AstraZeneca doses it received from the global COVAX vaccine-sharing facility aimed at providing shots to developing nations to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ghanaian authorities assured the populace of the arrival of a second batch of the vaccine in eight weeks but that has not been realised as India, which houses the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer (Serum Institute of India) has paused on exporting vaccines because of their increasing COVID-19 cases.

The government of Ghana has however assured that the 2nd batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine will arrive in the country and revealed it in talks with the Russians to acquire the Sputnik V vaccine.