Accra, Dec.09, GNA – The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has reviewed COVID-19 measures for international travelers following the rise in cases being reported at the Kotoka International Airport.
In November 2020, 168 cases were detected compared to 241 cases in November 2021, an increase of over 40 per cent.
“We have since been recording an average of 20 positive cases a day at KIA,” it said in a statement signed by the Director-General, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday night.
The Service said the situation was a reflection of the fourth wave of COVID-9 being experienced by some countries.
“Available data from KIA, show that a COVID-19 positive person is three times more likely to be unvaccinated. The new variant, Omicron which is said to be more transmissible has been detected at our airport. Of the 34 cases detected, 75 per cent of them were unvaccinated. Over the last two weeks, cases from airport account for about 60 per cent of the total cases recorded in the country,” the statement noted.
The current increase in cases together with the detection of the Omicron variant among international arrivals and the expected increase during the festive season, it said, called for urgent actions to prevent a major surge in COVID-19 cases in the country.
To avert that, the GHS gave the under-listed directives to be implemented effective midnight 12th December 2021.
Travelers to Ghana
It said all persons 18 years and above arriving in Ghana would be required to provide evidence of full vaccination for a COVID-19 vaccine.
Also, all unvaccinated Ghanaians and residents of Ghana who are currently outside the country and intend to return within 14 days from the midnight of 12th December 2021 are exempted.
However, they would be vaccinated on arrival at the Airport.
Traveling Out of Ghana
All Ghanaians travelling out of the country are to be fully vaccinated effective midnight 12th December
2021.
Definition of Fully Vaccinated
A person is said to be fully vaccinated when he/she has taken the full dose of vaccines approved and registered by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Ghana.
The statement said travelers needed two doses of AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna or Sputnik V to be declared as fully vaccinated.
However, one dose was required for Johnson and Johnson to be declared fully vaccinated.
The statement mentioned AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer and Moderna as the COVID-19 vaccines approved and registered by the Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana.
Other arrival requirements also remain unchanged such as the 72-hour negative PCR test requirement prior to travel, completion of the Health Declaration Form, and the demand that all persons who arrived in Ghana would undergo Antigen test.
GNA