As of July 18, 2023, the Eastern region has reported no active cases of COVID-19.
To further increase the coverage of the vaccinated population and achieve herd immunity against the virus, the Eastern Regional Health Directorate has initiated a 5-day COVID-19 vaccination campaign from Wednesday, July 19, 2023, to Sunday, July 23, 2023. This exercise is part of the 7th Round of the National COVID-19 Vaccination Days Campaign.
Dr. Winfred Ofosu, the Regional Health Director, addressed the media in Koforidua and outlined the plan to have health workers and volunteers stationed at strategic locations across various communities, including health directorate offices, hospitals, health centers, clinics, CHPS compounds, schools, marketplaces, churches, mosques, and other places of congregation. Some teams will also be conducting door-to-door vaccinations and workplace visits.
During this campaign, the Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be administered, and all individuals aged 18 years and above are eligible to receive them. Dr. Ofosu emphasized that a single dose would provide sufficient coverage, and a booster dose would be required three months later. Eligible individuals are encouraged to visit designated vaccination posts with valid identification cards to get vaccinated.
Dr. Ofosu highlighted the importance of achieving high population immunity through a coordinated vaccination program, which would help prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and deaths, ultimately contributing to reducing transmission rates.
The Eastern Regional Health Directorate, with support from the Ministry of Health and partners like Jhpiego RISE, has already administered a total of 2,050,392 COVID-19 vaccine doses. However, the region still has a significant portion of the population (33.7%) not fully covered against the COVID-19 disease, indicating the need for increased vaccination efforts.
Dr. Ofosu assured the public of the vaccine's safety and its effectiveness in protecting individuals from severe complications and deaths related to COVID-19, despite some temporary adverse drug effects. The health directorate is also closely monitoring individuals experiencing long-term effects from their COVID-19 infection, known as Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions (PCC), to ensure their well-being.
Overall, the Eastern region has made significant progress in combatting COVID-19, with no active cases reported as of July 18, 2023.
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