Ghana Health Service (GHS) says it is under pressure to vaccinate students and pupils who are below fifteen years against COVID-19.

The service says the vaccination for those above 15-years started in some regions and this brought pressure from parents to vaccinate children below 15-years.

The GHS began the vaccination of students aged 15 years and above in various schools across the country with the Pfizer vaccine.

This comes after the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) gave approval for the vaccine to be used among students in that age bracket.

Originally, the administration of the Pfizer vaccine was limited to persons aged 17 years and above.

Explaining further on the exercise on 3FM’s Sunrise hosted by Alfred Ocansey on Monday, the Coordinator for new vaccines at the Ghana Health Service Dr. Kwame Amponsa-Achiano, said “we are getting pressure to vaccinate those below 15-years”.

“We started getting pressure from parents last week. The Ashanti region started last week, Greater Accra also started last week and this week we are going to do more”.

Dr. Amponsa-Achiano said “the regions have already started. We have had arrangements with the GES and all the directors. In fact, it is not just the covid-19 vaccination exercise. That is what we do whenever we have vaccination exercise”.

“We are asking people to move out of their homes at all times to go and get vaccinated because we have given ourselves some lines. We have given ourselves five to ten days but so far as we have the vaccines, we will also continue the exercise”, he explained.

Asked on what the GHS would do on the pressure from parents to vaccinate those below 15-years, the Public Health Physician Specialist, said “you can’t believe it but there is nothing we can do about”.

“In our broader plan, we are vaccinating everybody but for now, there is nothing we can do. In the broad plan, children are to be considered so as long as we get approval we may extend but that will also depend on the regulators. So for now we will stick to the 15 and above”.