Leader for the Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research Group a Lecturer at KNUST, Dr. John Amuasi has intimated that, Ghana should be able to store the vaccine which it is set to receive.
Speaking on if the country’s current infrastructure can accommodate and transport the vaccine, he posited that although some provisions have to be made with regards to transportation among others, with storage the country should be able to receive and store the vaccine well.
“The decision that we make on how to distribute the vaccine is very critical.”
Dr. Amuasi then indicated with regards to the vaccine brand that, the AstraZeneca vaccine is more attractive due to the fact that it is much cheaper and can be quickly produced and also the fact that it can be stored in temperatures significantly higher than the other option of vaccines.
He noted that, the concern he had was the relative efficacy of the vaccine’s effectiveness and also the effectiveness of the vaccine against the new variant of the virus and some minor concerns of safety in the elderly.
“But the evolving level of efficacy, that is what I am worried about. How would this change? Several probabilities that this could change … and if we put too much into the AstraZeneca, we might end up being flat footed.”
Dr.Amuasi said
He urged the country to go in for the AstraZeneca vaccine, which he said was good and also urged government to hasten efforts to go in for liquid nitrogen tanks which he said might be a bit difficult to get.
He then admonished govern to try out other vaccines and not put all their hopes in the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Also speaking on the vaccine, Immunologist and Research Fellow for West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogen, Dr. Yaw Bediako was of the view that, the AstraZeneca vaccine is efficacious enough to also tackle the new strain of the virus.
He averred that, the AstraZeneca is more effective on the new variant due to the slightly resistant nature of the initial variant. He also disclosed that, the dominant strain the country is currently running is the new strain which is the UK strain, and further revealed that, AstraZeneca was however not effective with the South African strain of virus.
Dr. Bediako stated that the country’s level of sequencing is far below what can detect the variants that is below low prevalence and further urged the country to extend its sequencing in order not to spend on a vaccine that will not be effective. He disclosed that the UK sequences about 1000 people a week and Ghana as of February 2021 has sequenced 200 people since the beginning of the virus in the country in March 2020.
Also contributing to the conversation, Pharmacist and a Fellow of CDD Ghana, Dr Kwame Sarpong Aseidu intimated that, the nation is not out of place going with the AstraZeneca vaccine. Cost-wise he stated that the AstraZeneca stands tall and emphasised on its ability to restraint the spread.
Contributing to the dialogue, Dr. Samuel Kodjo Amoakohene, an Anaesthesiologist urged for the country to make available the vaccine to everyone that needs it.
He then urged for the health professionals to incentivize citizens on the need to get vaccinated or the country is going to end up having vaccines no one is willing to take
