The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye says there is no record of the Omicron Variant of the Covid 19 in Ghana.
He, therefore, urged the public to disregard false messages circulating on social media about an Omicron variant case being recorded in Ghana.
According to him, the recent tests and sequencing at the Kotoka International Airport have no indication of any evidence that suggests that the new variant has been recorded in the country.
At a press briefing Sunday in Accra, he explained that all people who have tested positive for the virus at the Airport are sequenced with their samples also sequenced; adding that the reference labs across the country where samples have been picked; have a bunch of about a hundred and sixty (160) currently been worked on.
He, therefore, notes that the preventive mechanisms in place continue to work as there is no evidence that the new variant can be transmitted through any new means.
“On the issue of the Omicron is that whatever it is vaccination is key, social distancing is key, wearing a mask is key. So the preventive measures remain the same.”
Dr. Kuma Aboagye indicated that the GHS will continue its surveillance to ensure that “once we discover we look at that”
On the festive season, he said Ghana will ramp up its COVID-19 vaccination campaign next month and make the vaccine mandatory for targeted groups including all public sector and health workers from Jan. 22.
Read also: NIA postpones services for updates of personal records and card replacement
He said government will hold a vaccination drive in December after which the vaccine will be mandatory for employees in all arms of government, health workers, security personnel, staff and students of secondary and tertiary education, and commercial drivers.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it is not yet clear if the new variant (Omicron) causes more severe disease.
Source: Anthony Sasu Ayisadu/ATLFMNEWS
