Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, Dr Franklin Asiedu Bekoe says to authenticate the vaccination status of Ghanaians, a hologram and QR code feature has been embedded into the existing Covid-19 user card.

This new card, he disclosed, will ensure that individuals receiving the 2nd dose have qualified and are in good health for the inoculation.

Dr Franklin Asiedu Bekoe, who was speaking to the host of 'The Probe' on Joy News, Emefa Apawu, said, “we have made an upgrade of the existing card, so there is this new card that has a hologram in it, so when you get a second dose we now put a hologram that testifies that you are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

“This new card also has a QR code, that is going to help us validate or authenticate those who have actually been vaccinated," he stated.

The Director of Public Health advised pregnant women to avoid vaccination even if they are compelled to complete the cycle.

He explained that women who took the first jab when they were not pregnant but now find themselves pregnant are exempted from the vaccination exercise."Unless we get clear evidence that pregnant people can take it, I think that is not advisable." Dr. Bekoe stressed.

"The vaccines are not to be used on certain categories of persons, that is pregnant women and children under 16 because the clinical trials that were done did not cover such persons," he said.

Dr Bekoe further explained that the first jab provides almost 80% protection and so if one does not get a second dose, "I don't think you should be so worried, although the best is that you get a double dose so that we can be sure that you have the protection."

In an announcement made by President Akufo-Addo in his 25th Address to the nation. effective Wednesday, May 19, 2021, the second dose of Covid-19 vaccines will begin rolling out,

During the address, the President indicated that the vaccines will be rolled out “to persons in 43 districts in Accra, Ashanti and Central regions who received their first dose of the vaccine.”

“I’m happy to announce that beginning Wednesday 19th of May, to Wednesday 26th May the deployment of the 2nd dose of vaccines will take place across the designated vaccination centers in the 43 districts approximately 12 weeks after the first jab, as the science prescribes,” he said.

“More details of the deployment will be communicated by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the coming week'” he added.

This comes after the first dose of vaccines was rolled out in March, 2021. According to the President close to 900,000 persons were vaccinated during the deployment of the first dose of the vaccines.