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State Transport Corporation (STC) CEO, Nana Akomea has charged airport authorities and the Police to be extra-vigilant to prevent the spread of the Indian Coronavirus variant.

Ghana has recorded the Indian variant, also called Delta variant, said to be the most contagious Covid-19 variant.

The Delta variant originates from India and is reportedly the cause of the increases in COVID-19 cases in India and UK.

Head of the West Africa Center for Cell Biology and Infectious Pathogens, WACCBIP, of the University of Ghana, Professor Gordon Awendare confirmed that the Delta variant is currently a part of 45 variants in Ghana.

“Overall we have about 45 or 46 different variants. The trend shows that all these normally come from travellers. Now that the Delta (Indian Variant) is taking over, it’s just a matter of time before it will come here in large quantities. We have a few here but it’s going to increase.

“Now we have to be looking at the right vaccines. All this while, we’ve been fixed on AstraZeneca and Sputnik V but we have to shift towards more of Pfizer and others which have a better chance of protecting against this variant. Because the future is, we are going towards these aggressive variants”, Professor Awendare said on Joy Prime.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the Indian variant is a “variant of global concern”.

Speaking on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo", Nana Akomea was worried that Ghana has recorded the new variant.

Nana Akomea complained that Ghanaians have relaxed in observing the COVID-19 protocols, fearing should the new variant be prevalent in the community, it will not augur well for the country.

He called on the authorities to step up and enforce the protocols.

"They should be extra-vigilant at the airport. The isolation centers should also be extra-vigilant . . . We must tighten the protocols . . . The Police must start strict enforcement for the next one month or so to make sure the Delta doesn't spread into the population," he stressed.