The Greater Accra Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) yesterday begun the inoculation of Accra residents with the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine.
The exercise saw members of the population aged 18 years and above who have not been vaccinated with the AstraZeneca or Sputnik V, Covid-19 vaccines receiving the jab at the various administration centers.
The Ablekuma Central Accra Metro, Adantan, Ga South, Kpone-Katamanso, Okaikoi North and Tema Metro are the districts undergoing the exercise in the Greater Accra Region.
which has targeted saw receiving the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine
Greater Accra Regional Health Director, Dr Charity Sarpong, said the exercise which is expected to end on Friday August 20,2021, has targeted about 100,000 people.
She said priority would still be given to persons aged 60 years and above and those with underlining health conditions, however pregnant women were exempted from the exercise.
She advised eligible persons to take breakfast before going to the vaccination centres with their Identity Cards.
Ghana on August 7 took delivery of 177,600 doses of the Johnson & Johnson single shot vaccine procured under the Africa Union’s African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) bringing to 1,515,450 the total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses received in the country.
AVAT is a purchasing facility instituted by the African Union (AU) to boost the continent’s access to Covid-19 vaccines on the global market.
The Johnson & Johnson is a single-shot vaccine, it is easier and cheaper to administer, the vaccine has a long shelf-life and favourable storage conditions, and the vaccine is partly manufactured on the African continent, with fill-finish activities taking place in South Africa.
Persons who receive the jab may experience headache, fever, fatigue, muscle aches, nausea pain, irritation, redness, and swelling at the site of the injection which may last for a few hours after the vaccination.
The GHS announced that 600,000 AstraZeneca vaccines would arrive in the country in the next two weeks while 1.3 million doses of Pfizer and 1.2 million Moderna vaccines were expected very soon.
The service thus cautioned those who have already taken the AstraZeneca vaccines not to join the ongoing Johnson & Johnson vaccination programme for their safety.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri