Health experts support the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions, but caution is advised

Some health professionals in the country have welcomed President Akufo-Addo’s decision to ease some Covid-19 induced restrictions.

Dr. John Amuasi, the leader of the Global Health and Infectious Research group at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in an interview with Citi News said the decision is in the right direction.

According to him, the significantly low number of COVID-19 fatalities and severe cases point to the fact that the disease does not pose dire consequences at this time that should warrant some of the restrictions.

“Africa has been largely spared in relation to what happened to other parts of the world. [And] This supports the easing of the restrictions. I think that it was a bit overdue but it is easy to say this in retrospect because it is better safe than to be sorry. Now that we are double sure that we are safe, it is definitely the right time to ease restrictions,” he said.

Dr. John Amuasi however cautioned the government against being complacent in making sure majority of citizen gets vaccinated.

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He suggested periodic vaccination in anticipation of a possible resurgence of the disease.

“We have vaccination rates of about 24% which means a good proportion of the population have anti-bodies and you know that ultimately it wanes. It would be important to push the vaccination drive to keep it at a high level to ensure that as many people get vaccinated, and that if there is the need to have vacation cycles maybe every month or every year, you take a shot. Let’s think about it so that if anything happens and this virus takes another turn we will not be taken off guard,” he advised.

President Akufo –Addo during his 28^th address to the nation on measures taken to prevent the further spread of Covid-19 on Sunday night said the wearing of nose masks is no longer mandatory.