GHS to now administer Pfizer vaccine to people aged 15 and above

The Ghana Health Service has revised protocols for the administration of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

The revision includes people between ages 15 and 18 receiving the Pfizer jabs.

Previously, the Food and Drugs Authority gave permission for only people aged 18 and above to be inoculated with the vaccine.

The Service believes that children in schools are more vulnerable to the Covid-19 disease, hence their bold step to include them in the vaccination exercise.

Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma Aboagye, told the media that vaccinating children within that age range helps the country better fight the pandemic.

“Pfizer has been registered fully for 12 years and above by the US FDA. Ghana originally registered Pfizer for 18 years and above. Through FDA, we have been able to have a reduction to 15 years. This is very important news for us because the most active group in our society are the young ones at that age, and with Christmas and all the activities coming they will be more active, so vaccinating those in that group will reduce school outbreaks and help us reduce transmission to adults,” he said.

He added that Ghana will be on track to attain herd immunity if the population within that bracket is vaccinated.

Meanwhile, Dr. Patrick Kuma Aboagye has urged the public including health workers to be on alert about the outbreak of Yellow fever in some parts of the country.

He said the disease has been confirmed in different parts of the country, and there is a likelihood that more areas would be affected.

“It is no more just in Savannah Region because it seems to have reached Oti. There is a case in Bole, there is a case at the Tamale Teaching Hospital and Upper West has cases. There is even a case in Wenchi and so everyone has to be on alert. Don’t wait until you see a case there. Start doing your surveillance, especially those closer to some of these regions,” he advised.