The Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Director of Health has attributed the low patronage of the COVID-19 vaccine in Tarkwa Nsuaem to misleading videos of the vaccine on social media.
According to Madam Caroline Effah Otoo, videos and audios describing the vaccines as evil on social media have put fears in people preventing them from taking the vaccines.
The Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Health Directorate started the second phase of the vaccination exercise in November after the first phase ended in October this year.
But speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb, Madam Caroline explained that patronage in the second phase of the vaccination in November has slowed down compared to the first phase.
She stated that “as at last week we had a little over 3000 for first dose and over 4500 for the second dose”.
She explained that “in the first phase we had over 10,000 people who had the first dose who are supposed to come for the second dose, but 4,500 turned up for the first week for the second dose. The first phase in October had about 40,000 people vaccinated for first dose and small number for the second dose. Meaning that there are lot of people who have to get their second dose in the second phase. Estimated target for the second phase for the first dose is 27,000”.
The municipality is expected to vaccinate over 67,000 people after the exercise.
She noted that “as at October, a little of over 40,000 had their jabs meaning we had about 27000 people who had not come for the jab at all”.
She said, in the second phase which will end in November about 30,000 people are expected to take their second dose ‘so if in the first week we have 4,500, it means the patronage is not encouraging at all’.
Madam Caroline Otoo noted that “some people are feeling reluctant to go for the second dose because of the side effects, but the assurance is that the side effect of the second dose is not as serious as the first dose”.
She pleaded with everyone who has had the first dose to go to the nearest vaccination centre for the second dose adding that “those who have not taken the first dose should also go and take the jab”.
She also entreated the general public to observe the covid protocols because “if you decide not to obey the protocols, you will be a victim”.
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