The Ghana Health Service (GHS) says there is still a 4-week more window for Ghanaians who have taken the first dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines should the deadline on their cards expire by the end of the month.
Speaking at a press briefing, Sunday, the Director-General of GHS, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, explained that between 8 to 12 weeks is World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended period for a second shot of the vaccines.
“As far as vaccination is concerned, what we have is the minimum time within which a booster dose can be given. If you do it before that minimum date you will not get any benefit. But sometimes the longer you wait, it still doesn’t matter, you can still have your second shot and get your booster dose built up.”
“Between eight and 12 weeks is the best time to give (a second dose). Even then you would have lost some percentage of the anti bodies, it is still effective enough to protect you.”
Nonetheless, Dr Kuma-Aboagye assured Ghanaians that the service is working feverishly to boost the stock of vaccines in the country for deployment without necessarily waiting for the 12 weeks window.
He said there is an assurance from the Covax facility that the country will receive more vaccines by May.
“As a Service, we are more concerned about having more people with the first dose. There are also bilateral arrangements that are bringing in other COVAX vaccines including Johnson and Johnson which we are expecting probably in the third or fourth quarter of the year. And a lot of work is going on to get vaccine Sputnik for everybody.”
“So, we are assuring people that the fact that you do not get it on the eighth week doesn’t mean there’s something wrong. We still have a four-week window period and beyond to have it and we are expecting more vaccines to come in to provide the protection we all need.”
Source: Ghana/Kasapafmonline.com/102.5 fm
