The Head of Virology at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Professor Kofi Bonney, has called on Ghanaians to commit to taking COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots as new infections are being recorded across the country.
He explained that while the original vaccines were not designed to eliminate the virus entirely, they remain effective in preventing severe illness—making booster doses crucial in maintaining immunity. “The vaccines boost immunity, but the efficacy reduces at a point. So people who have already taken the vaccines must do well to get the boosters to build the immune system,” he said. “Ghana Health Service is working to secure the vaccines, and we must all try and take it when it comes.”
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Prof. Bonney confirmed that the currently circulating strain is a slightly different subvariant of the Omicron variant, which is being closely monitored but is not considered severe. “In–{ 2022, when the cases started reducing, we were fighting the Omicron, and that is what has resurged. So this is not anything new,” he noted. While acknowledging the strain’s general mildness in immune-competent individuals, Prof. Bonney warned that vulnerable populations remain at risk and should take extra precautions.
He also urged Ghanaians to recommit to public health practices, especially during the rainy season, which often sees an increase in influenza-like and respiratory illnesses.
“Surges in respiratory illnesses are common during the rainy period,” he said, encouraging the public to return to the familiar and effective preventive measures such as handwashing, mask-wearing in crowded places, and staying home when unwell.
