The Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare, has intimated that the health institutions currently have to look for extra COVID-19 isolation centres due to the increasing number of cases of the virus.
Speaking about the situation as travelers arrive for the Christmas festivities, he indicated that the current situation is as a result of more positive cases being recorded at the Kotoka International Airport.
Dr. Nsiah Asare disclosed that although logistics for isolation is becoming overwhelming, the nation hasn’t reached the maximum point yet but will continuously have to be looking for a lot of isolation centres.
“We are having to look for extra COVID-19 isolation centres because we are seeing more positive cases as more people come into the country with the virus through the country’s airport”.
Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare
He stated that the Health Service has a mechanism of making sure that the PCR test are also done at accredited labs when the travelers arrive. He, however, noted that because there are a lot of activities when traveling, one can get infected.
“When you are traveling, you have to be collecting things from others to bring and involves a lot of movement. This COVID-19 is a movement disease, you catch it when you move”.
Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare
His comments come after the country intensified its COVID-19 mandate at especially the entry point in an attempt to prevent a fourth wave with many European countries witnessing same.
Free isolation for Ghanaians
According to Dr. Nsiah-Asare, Ghanaian travelers will continuously be given free isolation centres when they are found to be carrying the virus at the point of entry. He noted that the fact that one has been vaccinated does not mean one cannot be infected by the virus.
“Because there is a fourth wave in most of the countries where people are coming from, because a lot of passengers are coming through the Kotoka International Airport arrival, we were expecting that, even though most of them show vaccination certificates”.
Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare
He noted that persons must adhere to measures and follow the protocols until everybody is vaccinated. This, he explained, is because the omicron variant sometimes infect people who are even vaccinated but it is mild.
“If you are not careful and you say that because of that I will not go and vaccinate, then the omicron will attack you and will also be severe and you will end up in an intensive care unit and not even come out of there”.
Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare
The most important thing, according to the Health Advisor is for citizens to protect themselves and their loved ones, as in the immediate relations who are always with them and their coworkers.
Dr. Nsiah-Asare averred that with the community spread regarding the Omicron virus, not too many people have had the virus in the communities.
According to the Health advisor, luckily for the country, most of the recorded cases are still from the Airport and also within Greater Accra, mostly within the Accra Metropolis and because they are isolated until they are negative, the importation of the virus is limited.
“Some of the regions for the past one month have not even recorded a single cases”.
Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare
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