Nana Akufo-Addo took his first jab of the Coronavirus vaccine in 2021
Land borders open after two years
President Akufo-Addo reviews mandatory PCR tests at KIA
Low rates of infections contributory factor for Coronavirus protocols review - Akufo-Addo
By now, you might have heard or read that the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has announced a much
Read full articlemore relaxed directive on the wearing of face masks, which is one of the major measures towards the fight against the novel Coronavirus.
Addressing the nation on Sunday, March 27, 2022, during his 28th address to the nation on the measures his government has taken towards the pandemic fight, the president indicated that it is now no longer mandatory for people to wear their face masks.
He explained that the decision was made based on advice and review of all the existing Coronavirus protocols as of the time he was speaking, and owing to the low infection rates in the country,
“So, from tomorrow, Monday, 28th March, the wearing of facemasks is no longer mandatory. I encourage all of you, though, to continue to maintain enhanced hand hygiene practices, and avoid overcrowded gatherings.
“All in-person activities, such as those that take place in churches, mosques, conferences, workshops, private parties and events, cinemas and theatres may resume at full capacity, as long as the audience and/or participants are fully vaccinated. Hand washing and hand sanitising points should be made available at these venues,” he said.
Other Coronavirus protocols put in place by the government that have been relaxed include, among others, the opening of all land borders effective Monday, March 28, 2022.
It must be stated that the land borders had been closed for two years.
“As from tomorrow, Monday, 28th March, all land and sea borders will be opened. Fully vaccinated travellers will be allowed entry through the land and sea borders without a negative PCR test result from the country of origin. Citizens and foreign residents in Ghana, who are not fully vaccinated, will have to produce a negative 48-hour PCR test result, and will be offered vaccination on arrival,” he said.
Giving reasons for these reviews, the president said that it included the low rates of infections in the country.
“This review is premised on the background of rapidly declining infections, the relative success of the vaccination campaign being supervised by the Ghana Health Service, and the increased capacity developed in the public and private health sectors over the last two years,” he added.
Here are all the other protocols set in place by the government to fight the novel Coronavirus and all the reviews as announced by President Nana Akufo-Addo during his address:
Mandatory wearing of facemasks:
“So, from tomorrow, Monday, 28th March, the wearing of facemasks is no longer mandatory. I encourage all of you, though, to continue to maintain enhanced hand hygiene practices, and avoid overcrowded gatherings.”
Restrictions on religious gatherings:
“All in-person activities, such as those that take place in churches, mosques, conferences, workshops, private parties and events, cinemas and theatres may resume at full capacity, as long as the audience and/or participants are fully vaccinated. Hand washing and hand sanitising points should be made available at these venues.
“Government will continue to engage all religious and traditional leaders, agencies and institutions to encourage their congregants, subjects and citizens, respectively, to be vaccinated, to help achieve the 20 million target by June 2022. I will also urge the media to support this campaign.”
Outdoor events:
“Outdoor functions at sporting events, entertainment spots, political rallies and funerals may resume at full capacity, again, as long as all persons at these events are fully vaccinated.”
Mandatory PCR testing at Kotoka International Airport:
“Fellow Ghanaians, we had to impose measures to limit the importation of the virus into our country, especially as our first cases of the virus were imported through the Kotoka International Airport (KIA). Currently, the Kotoka International Airport only allows fully vaccinated passengers, who are in possession of a 72-hour negative PCR test result prior to embarkation, and have a negative antigen test result on arrival, entry into the country.
“Ghanaian citizens and foreign residents in Ghana, who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated currently, are given waivers by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to allow them entry into the country through the Kotoka International Airport. They must also have a 72-hour negative PCR test result prior to embarkation, take an antigen test on arrival, and are offered vaccination.
“From tomorrow, Monday, 28th March, fully vaccinated travellers into Ghana will not take PCR tests from the country of embarkation to allow them entry into the country through the KIA, and will not be tested on arrival. Citizens and foreign residents in Ghana, who are not fully vaccinated, would, however, need to provide a negative PCR test result of not more than 48-hours, will undergo an antigen test upon arrival at KIA, and will be offered vaccination there. Ghana’s Foreign Missions have been instructed to make vaccination a requirement for visa acquisition.
“It is worth noting that the establishment of the COVID-19 testing infrastructure at the Kotoka International Airport by Frontier Healthcare Services Ltd, at its own cost, has been key to our ability to limit successfully the importation of the virus into Ghana through the airport. The efficacy of the testing regime at KIA has won global admiration, and has been applauded by all those who have undergone its testing. It has been one of the reasons why Ghana was not at the receiving end of several of the travel bans imposed by the West at the height of the pandemic, for which many African countries were affected.”
Read the president’s full address below:
