President Akufo-Addo Eases COVID-19 Restrictions, Upholds Vaccination

President of Ghana, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo has relaxed all mandatory COVID-19 restrictions imposed during the height of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020 and has replaced them with a vaccination campaign.

It could be recalled that President Akufo-Addo in his early addresses to the country on the pandemic, imposed compulsory mask-wearing, border closure, limit (25 persons) on social gatherings, etc.

Yesterday, during the president’s 28th address to the nation, he relaxed all those measures.

He stated, “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.”

He added that all in-person activities, such as those that take place in churches, mosques, conferences, workshops, private parties and events, cinemas, theatres and outdoor functions at sporting events, entertainment spots, political rallies and funerals may resume at full capacity.

All these, he said, come with a condition that is, all persons at these events must be fully vaccinated with handwashing and hand sanitising points 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”, he said.

Again, from Monday, March 28, 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, however, citizens and foreign residents in Ghana, who are not fully vaccinated, will have to produce a negative 48-hour PCR test result, and be offered vaccination on arrival.

Additionally, President Akufo-Addo noted that from Monday, March 28, fully vaccinated travellers coming into Ghana through the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), will not be required to take PCR tests from the country of embarkation to allow them entry into Ghana, and will not be tested on arrival.

However, citizens and foreign residents in Ghana, who are not fully vaccinated, would need to provide a negative PCR test result of not more than 48-hours, undergo an antigen test upon arrival at KIA, and be offered vaccination there.

The president noted that Ghana’s Foreign Missions have been instructed to make vaccination a requirement for visa acquisition.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini