Immunity given by vaccines reduces over time, we don’t have absolute protection yet – UG Professor

An Associate Professor at the School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Richmond Nii Okai Ayitey has said Ghanaians may not have absolute protection yet despite taking the vaccines.

He explained that the the immunity that is provided by the vaccines reduces over time.

“There is also something that is different about our circumstance. In many of those countries, they have hit either close to 70 per cent vaccination rate with additional boosters that gives them a lot more protection because what we know about these vaccines is that the immunity that it gives over time, it reduces,” he said on the News 360 on TV3 Monday March 28.

The General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Dr Tutus Beyuo, also said that persons who are yet to be vaccinated are posing greatest threat to the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

He indicated that there is the need to get all unvaccinated persons to be inoculated in order to defeat the virus.

Speaking in relation to the ease of the restrictions by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Dr Beyuo said “Some of our countrymen and women are refusing to vaccinate and they are posing the greatest threat as far as this condition is concerned. We have to get all of those people to agree to vaccinate.

“Failure of the people to vaccinate means that there are still a lot of susceptible people in our environment. Another thing is that we do not know what will happen with change in weather with new variant that may come that may be more transmissible.

“If ongoing surveillance picks anything that shows that there are new variants that are more transmissible or can cause more havoc, then I am sure the scientific community, we will not hesitate to re-inform the nation and get everybody on board.”

President Akufo-Addo announced in his 28th Covid update on Sunday March 27 that from today, Monday, 28th March, the wearing of facemasks is no longer mandatory.

“I encourage all of you, though, to continue to maintain enhanced hand hygiene practices, and avoid overcrowded gatherings,” he aaid.

He added that all in-person activities, such as those that take place in churches, mosques, conferences, workshops, private parties and events, cinemas and theatres may resume at full capacity, as long as the audience and/or participants are fully vaccinated.

Hand washing and hand sanitising points should be made available at these venues.

Outdoor functions at sporting events, entertainment spots, political rallies and funerals may resume at full capacity, again, as long as all persons at these events are fully vaccinated.

“From tomorrow, Monday, 28th March, fully vaccinated travellers into Ghana will not take PCR tests from the country of embarkation to allow them entry into the country through the KIA, and will not be tested on arrival.

“Citizens and foreign residents in Ghana, who are not fully vaccinated, would, however, need to provide a negative PCR test result of not more than 48-hours, will undergo an antigen test upon arrival at KIA, and will be offered vaccination there.

“It is worth noting that the establishment of the COVID-19 testing infrastructure at the Kotoka International Airport by Frontier Healthcare Services Ltd, at its own cost, has been key to our ability to limit successfully the importation of the virus into Ghana through the airport. The efficacy of the testing regime at KIA has won global admiration, and has been applauded by all those who have undergone its testing. It has been one of the reasons why Ghana was not at the receiving end of several of the travel bans imposed by the West at the height of the pandemic, for which many African countries were affected.

“As from tomorrow, Monday, 28th March, all land and sea borders will be opened. Fully vaccinated travellers will be allowed entry through the land and sea borders without a negative PCR test result from the country of origin. Citizens and foreign residents in Ghana, who are not fully vaccinated, will have to produce a negative 48-hour PCR test result, and will be offered vaccination on arrival.”

Source: 3news.com|Ghana