More than 3,000 people vaccinated on first day
A total of 3,321 people received the COVID-19 jab by the close of the first day, following the launch of Ghana’s nationwide vaccination programme.
Having received 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine under the COVAX facility, Ghana began its vaccination drive on March 2, to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The vaccinations were concentrated in the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions with health personal being the largest group of recipients comprising 1,928.
Members of the security services who got vaccinated were 443.
Traders numbers 323, and members of the Executive arm of government totalled 198.
Adults less than 60 years formed 68.5% (2,115) of those vaccinated while those who were 60 years and above were 31.5% (972).
Prominent persons who received the vaccine
President Akufo-Addo and his wife Rebecca Akufo-Addo were the first to be vaccinated at the 37 Military Hospital.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and his wife Samira Bawumia followed suit at the Police Hospital.
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor also took the vaccine at his home in Peduase on Tuesday.
From the clergy, the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Ghana, Most Rev Dr Paul Boafo, was among the personalities who took their COVID-19 vaccination first jab on Monday.
Former Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye and some officials of the Council of State were also given shots of the vaccine.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr James Oppong-Boanuh also led his personnel to take the COVID-19 jabs.
The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and his wife Lady Julia Osei Tutu, Ga Mantse Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, and former President John Dramani Mahama and his wife Lordina Mahama also received the vaccinations in public on Tuesday, March 2, 2021.
About Ghana’s vaccine programme
The first batch of Ghana’s COVID-19 vaccines is being administered to persons in 43 areas identified as hotspots of the pandemic that has claimed 607 lives with 5,444 active cases.
A total of 25 of the epicentres are in the Greater Accra, 16 are located in Ashanti Region, and two in the Central Region.
AstraZeneca and Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines are the only brands approved by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).
The vaccination is being done in segments.
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has released a list of health facilities where the vaccines are being administered without any cost to recipients.
Group 1 is categorised as “persons most at risk and frontline State officials”.
It includes healthcare workers, frontline security personnel, persons with underlying medical conditions, persons sixty (60) years and above, and frontline members of the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary.
Group 2 is made up of other essential service providers and the rest of the security agencies.
It includes water and electricity supply services, teachers and students, supply and distribution of fuels, farmers and food value chain, telecommunications services, air traffic and civil aviation control services, meteorological services, air transport services, waste management services, media, public and private commercial transport services, the Police Service, Armed Forces, Prisons Service, Immigration Service, National Fire Service, CEPS Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, and other members of the Executive, Judiciary, and Legislature.
Group 3 consists of the rest of the general public that is all persons over eighteen (18) years, except for pregnant women.
The final group, that is Group 4, will include pregnant mothers and persons under the age of eighteen (18), and they will be vaccinated when an appropriate vaccine, hopefully, is found or when enough safety data on the present vaccines are available.
Special arrangements will be made for persons with disabilities who fall within these groups.