COVID 19: Crossing over from AstraZeneca for J&J vaccines may be dangerous- GHS warns Ghanaians

Dr Rockson Adjei, Ashanti Regional Deputy Director for GHS

The Ghana Health Service has warned Ghanaians vaccinated with an AstraZeneca vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India not run for Johnson and Johnson jabs which is set to be rolled out on Monday August 16, 2021 adding that such action may be dangerous.

According to Ghana Health Service, getting jabs from different Coronavirus vaccines could cause a serious health implication. “Crossing over from one vaccine to the other in an attempt to escape the Coronavirus pandemic could land you in different serious complications since there is no research yet to support such move “.

The Ashanti Regional Deputy Director for GHS Dr Rockson Adjei in an interview with OTEC FM’S Breakfast Show dubbed ‘Nyansapo’  on Friday August 13, 2021 said there was no research to support the administration of different covid-19 vaccines to an individual.

“Crossing over from one vaccine to the  other in an attempt to escape the Coronavirus pandemic could land you in different serious complications, ” he added.

Dr Rockson Adjei ii maintained that those who got only one dose of the AstraZeneca Vaccines are expected to get their second jabs in early September hence they need not to rush for the Johnson and Johnson vaccines.

Ghana took  delivery of 177,600 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to vaccinate people who are yet to receive a COVID-19 jab.

The vaccine which is  the first batch of the Africa Union’s African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) initiative was  delivered to Ghana on Saturday August 7, 2021

The Ashanti Region according to Dr Adjei i got 50,000 doses of the first batch of Johnson and Johnson vaccines.

Vaccination

A total of 1,231,203 persons have so far received the first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine as of Tuesday, June 15, 2021.

Out of 852,047 persons who received the first dose of vaccination, 379,156 people have so far received their second jabs out of 381,787 targeted.

Thus, 472,891 persons are waiting to take their second dose of the vaccine.

GHS to begin offering Johnson & Johnson vaccine 

The Ghana Health Service is expected to begin giving out jabs of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the Greater Accra Region on Friday, August 13, 2021.

Vaccine shots in other coronavirus hotspots such as the Ashanti Region will begin next Monday, August 16, 2021.

“We are hopeful that at least the Greater Accra Region will start [vaccination] on Friday. [Vaccines for] Kumasi will be travelling today, so it will not be realistic for Ashanti to start tomorrow… hopefully by Monday, they should also be able to start,” the manager of Ghana’s expanded programme on Immunisation, Dr. Kwame Amponsa-Achiano said.

The vaccine shots will be given out in 11 districts; seven in the Greater Accra Region and four in the Greater Kumasi metro.

The service has said it will be targeting at-risk persons with the Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

“We are still looking at the most at risk. Of course, we are also pursuing additional vaccines for them. Everybody is at risk, but there are more vulnerable people, and so that is what we are looking at now,” Dr. Amponsa-Achiano noted.

Ghana’s total caseload

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has claimed a total of 545 lives in Ghana almost eight months into 2021.

This implies that the number of COVID-19 related deaths, which stood at 335 at the end of 2020 has almost doubled in 2021. The death toll is currently at 880.

With regard to the active cases, by December 31, 2020, the figure was 905, but this has increased by over sixfold.

Updates from the Ghana Health Service COVID-19 dashboard show that, as of August 6, 2021, the active Coronavirus cases stand at 6,922.

Cumulatively, Ghana has since March 2020 recorded a total of 108,677 Coronavirus cases with 100,875 recoveries.

Health experts have raised concerns about the rising cases attributing it to the Delta variant and the general lack of adherence to the COVID-19 safety protocols in Ghana.

As usual, the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions, the main hotspots, continue to lead the high number of Coronavirus cases in Ghana.

While Greater Accra currently has 3,158 active cases, the Ashanti Region follows directly with 1,513 infections.

Volta, Bono, and Bono East regions are emerging hotspots for Delta variant – GHS

Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, recently disclosed that the Volta, Bono, and Bono East Regions, are emerging as new hotspots for Coronavirus infections, especially the Delta variant.

Per the latest update, Volta Region has 507 active cases, Bono Region, 263 and Bono East, 278.

The North East and Upper East Regions have the least number of active cases of four each.

“The current trajectory of cases with still low adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols pose a significant risk of a higher third wave.”

“Average cases per day is likely to increase with the attendant increase in severe and critical cases. The potential for a negative impact of the outbreak on all sectors is very high, therefore, aggressive efforts at reversing the trend are needed,” Dr. Kuma-Aboagye stated.

Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Jacob Agyenim Boateng