Why COVID-19 vaccinators are not wearing gloves
It has been explained that the wearing of gloves is not part of the protocols for the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
The protocol is that, the vaccinator sanitizes the hands after every process and intermittently washes the hands.
According to Presidential Advisor on Health in Ghana, Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare, "that is the most important thing to do," by sanitizing the hands and intermittently washing the hands.
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General Overview of Immunization Best Practices for Healthcare Providers
The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that health care providers should be knowledgeable of safe injection practices and site identification.
Intramuscular (IM) injection is the recommended route for COVID-19 vaccines.
It said to ensure vaccines are safe and effective, a new needle and syringe should be used for each injection as well as perform hand hygiene before vaccine preparation, between patients, when changing gloves (if worn), and any time hands become soiled.
"Gloves are not required unless the person administering the vaccine is likely to come in contact with potentially infectious body fluids or has open lesions on the hands. If worn, perform hand hygiene and change gloves between patients," it said.
Ghana’s mass vaccination programme for COVID-19 got underway in Accra Monday morning with President Akufo-Addo, his wife Rebecca, Vice President Bawumia and his wife Samira taking the first jabs.
It marked the beginning of the deployment of the 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines from Tuesday March 2 to Monday, March 15, 2021 by the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
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Read also: Ghana's COVID-19 vaccination drive gets underway
Prime Minister Boris Johnson receives a flu vaccine in Downing Street on October 14, 2019 in London [GETTY IMAGES]
Gloves
However, on social media, a conversation has started on why the vaccinators who administered the jabs to President Akufo-Addo, Dr Bawumia, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Mrs Samira Bawumia were not in gloves.
When Graphic Online reached out to Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare, the Presidential Advisor on Health, he explained that "the vaccinator sanitized her hands. That’s the most important thing to do."
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Mrs Samira Bawumia taking her COVID-19 vaccine first jab at the Police Hospital in Accra on Monday, March 1, 2021.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was vaccinated against the coronavirus on live television.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa receives a Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, South Africa, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. Ramaphosa was among the first in his country to receive the vaccination to launch the inoculation drive in the country. (Gianluigi Guercia/Pool via AP) THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh