Disregard negative theories about coronavirus vaccine – NCCE

Mr Jeffery Adda, the Builsa North Municipal Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Upper East Region, has urged members of the public to disregard negative conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 vaccine.

He said the Commission was mandated to sensitize members of the public on the COVID-19 vaccine, and to demystify the misconceptions and negative theories about the vaccine among some members of the public.

Mr Adda said this when he addressed a community durbar organized by the Commission in collaboration with the Information Services Department (ISD) to sensitize beneficiaries of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme in the Municipality.

According to Mr Adda, “It is obvious that the negative information about the vaccine cannot be sustained,” and urged the aged and people with underlying conditions to get vaccinated when the vaccine was rolled out in the Municipality.

The Director said the collaboration between the NCCE and the ISD was to assist the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and Ghana Medical Association (GMA) to properly educate, inform and guide members of the public on the vaccine.

On her part, Madam Jennifer Adocta, the Municipal Director of the ISD said it was necessary to sensitize the public on the need to get vaccinated, and clear any myths about the vaccine in the media, especially on the various social media platforms.

She advised the public to avoid overdependence on social media for information about the COVID-19 vaccines as some of such platforms were saturated with false information.

Some participants at the programme who shared their views about the vaccine with the Ghana News Agency said they would not hesitate to take the vaccine if it was eventually rolled out in the Municipality.

Mr Ayomah Abonaab, a participant, said “I am confident that the government procured the right and potent vaccine to help us. Government of Ghana will not compromise on the safety of its citizens and so my family and I are very ready to receive the vaccine for protection.”

Madam Felicia Yaw, another participant, also said “Initially, I was not comfortable. So many people are saying different things about the vaccine, especially in the media. But the way the NCCE and ISD officials have explained, I am now comfortable and will go for the vaccine if the opportunity comes.”

She said even though COVID-19 could affect anyone, women and children were the most vulnerable and urged them to be the first to go for the vaccine.